Reawakened Kingdom
by Saberpilot
Summary: In Crystal Tokyo, everything is wonderful. However, tragedy strikes, and there are casualties. A thousand years hence, warriors must be reawakened to protect their kingdom once more. (chapter 4 up!)
1. Death and Rebirth

A/N: This is my first Sailor Moon fic ever. It's set after Sailor Stars and during the reign of the Neo Queen Serenity (aka future Sailor Moon) Please be slightly gentle, since this is my first one ever.. I hope I got everything right (I should have) but tell me if I didn't.  
  
I don't own Sailor Moon.. because I'm poor. So there. Don't sue. ( Most importantly, Enjoy!  
  
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Neo Queen Serenity sighed, content. She looked at the crystal chapels of her capital city, its broad viewscape glorious against the sun's rays. The way the lights twinkled reminded her of the imperial crystal and what it did for all the inhabitants of Earth.  
  
How she loved this small blue planet. It seemed like ages ago that she'd been that awkward teenager with the 'meatball-headed' hair that had cried in the face of battle. She smiled, holding back a laugh with her hand. How immature she'd been in those days long gone.  
  
It was too bad that Luna, Artemis, and their daughter could not be here. She'd send them on a mission to try and create a trade route between her kingdom and the one where the Starlights lived. She'd have bet anything that Artemis was jealous the whole time they were there, remembering Luna's crush on Yaten when they'd been here last.  
  
A sound from behind her caught the Queen's attention. Turning, she smiled as she beheld her beautiful daughter. Small Chibi-usa had finally grown into her womanhood, her form now supple and her soul as pure as the new fallen snow in winter. Smiling, Serenity opened her mouth to speak.  
  
"What is it, my child? What ails you?"  
  
"Nothing, mother," Usagi said, her light pink waves of hair falling down her back. She smiled. "Actually, I was wondering what you were out here looking at."  
  
The older woman smiled. She turned to face her gorgeous planet once more. "I was just looking at a glorious world and thinking how well it's turned out." She looked into the far distance, the gentle sun's rays starting to fall beneath the plane of the Earth, the moon slowly coming into view. Serenity's eyes sparkled.  
  
"We'd better go inside. We wouldn't want to keep everyone waiting."  
  
"For what, mother?" young Usagi asked, looking at her mother, smiling in anticipation.  
  
"For your debutante, of course. You know perfectly well what night it is," she smiled, then reached out to stroke a strand of her young daughter's pink hair. "Now, shall we get ready, so that you may see the suitors? I know you're very anxious to get into your dress and all."  
  
The pink-haired princess smiled, and glided in front of her mother, her footsteps light and excited. Serenity shook her head. For being a thousand and twenty years old, her daughter still acted as though she were twelve sometimes.  
  
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Down within the confines of a moldy sewer basement, where the glow of daylight never reached, a young woman was smiling also with anticipation. Her dark red eyes were sparkling in the glow of the electric lamps that she used to light her way in the dark underbelly of the city above.  
  
It had been many years since any villains had created any plans, as the Neo Queen Serenity protected her world with a fierce determination. But as of late, the Queen had seemed to have shirked in her duties, leaving small pools of decay to form in unseen parts of cities and towns upon her planet.  
  
Hands made busy work as the woman continued her job. Finally, when all seemed to be complete, she sat back and viewed her work. She'd had to keep all the parts of the newly-formed crystal apart until tonight. Tonight, when the Queen's concentration would be elsewhere, on her daughter, Neo Princess Serenity. The King would also be wrapped up in the festivities.  
  
Fanged teeth formed themselves into a grin. The timing could not be more appropriate. At a festival for celebration, the neo white moon kingdom would fall, and then the neo dark kingdom would rise upon its ashes.  
  
She'd waited years and years for her time to be reborn. But finally, Queen Beryl had found herself back on Earth. It had been some time before she'd become aware of her true identity, but that was all right. If she'd been born earlier or later, she wouldn't have had this opportunity.  
  
Beryl would choke the life out of the new moon kingdom. And once she had control, no one would be able to stop her. Not Sailor Moon, not her daughter, not even the old Tuxedo Mask. Too many years of idleness would teach the Royal Court what could happen if you left your back turned for more than a minute.  
  
And boy, would they learn.  
  
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"Here?"  
  
"No, lower."  
  
"Here?"  
  
"No! Lower! My goodness, Lena! Can't you get it right?"  
  
Rei, also known as the Neo Princess of Mars, and former Sailor Mars, ran up to where Neo Princess Jupiter stood, fixing flowers on a banister. The fire-blessed woman turned a rose a quarter to the left, then stood back, nodding.  
  
"Perfect."  
  
"That's where it was a second ago, Rei!"  
  
The brown haired maiden finally threw her hands up into the air and sat down at a nearby chair. She sighed as she looked up at Rei, who was standing back to inspect her handiwork.  
  
"It looks good, guys!" Minako, the Neo Princess of Venus said, walking into the chambers to inspect the girls' work. "I really like the touch of the pink roses. Whose idea was it?"  
  
"Mine," Lita said, rising once more to smile and give her friend Minako a hug. "Where have you been, stranger?" She looked Mina-chan up and down. She was dressed elegantly, as usual, in her finest. Lena sighed. She could never pull off anything like Minako did.  
  
"I had to make sure that everyone in my household was set before I left." She glanced around the room, seeing the beautiful fruits of Lena's garden adorn the walls in beautiful patterns. She smiled, seeing Rei step down from where she'd been standing.  
  
"Is everyone here yet?" she asked the raven haired woman.  
  
"Not quite. I know that Hotaru is helping young Usagi to get dressed. Michiru and Hakura are somewhere around here. But I don't know where Setsuna and Ami-chan are." Rei turned as she heard footsteps come down the hallway.  
  
"Speak of the devil," Minako smiled, seeing Setsuna, Michiru, and Hakura come into the banquet hall. The couple was dressed appropriately, Michiru in her formal gown, Hakura in a suit. Setsuna walked behind the couple, her steps careful and paced. She smiled when she saw the rest of the former sailor scouts.  
  
"Hello, everyone," she said in her melodic voice. She smiled when she saw the pink flowers outlining the banister. "I can't wait to see how our small lady looks. I know Our Lady said she was looking forward to this day."  
  
"Yes, I can't wait to see how our chibi kitten looks." Hakura said, smiling as she held her love's hand. "I still remember Serena and Mamoru's wedding. It was so beautiful.. and now our small lady is growing up.. It nearly makes me to have little ones of our own, Michiru."  
  
Michiru looked up at her love. "Nearly?"  
  
"I think we should wait another thousand years before we decide, love," she said, and kissed her beloved's hand.  
  
"Ah-hem. If you two lovebirds could focus on the present.." Minako said, shaking her finger at the duo, and then pointing to the decorations. "Did you see the hard work Lita and Rei did? Chibi Usagi is going to have quite a debutante."  
  
Setstuna gave Minako a withering smile, then looked around. "I don't see Ami-chan around here yet- did any of you hear from her?"  
  
Rei shook her head. "No, I haven't heard anything. Did any of you hear from her? I know she was coming.."  
  
"Perhaps she's late."  
  
"Perhaps."  
  
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Ami Mizuno frantically typed away on her computer. Even though she was already fifteen minutes late to young Usagi's debutante, she showed no signs of leaving soon.  
  
About twenty minutes ago, Ami had started getting readings from her age-old darkness detecting equipment. Ami smiled grimly to herself. She'd been thinking about shutting off her old Mercury Computer the other day. Now she was glad she hadn't.  
  
Small wisps of darkness were starting to form in a corner of the city. The patterns of magic seemed familiar, but Ami couldn't put the pattern together. Her fingers flying, she tried to fit it all together. When nothing else showed up, Ami sighed and stopped typing, looking at the clock.  
  
Picking up the computer, she slipped it into her purse and stood up, realizing that she'd kept her transport man waiting for fifteen minutes. Sighing, she stood up, and pushed her blue hair behind her ears. Hopefully she wouldn't need the computer. Hopefully.  
  
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Beryl smiled. The super smart Ami Mizuno had nearly caught onto her. Luckily enough, Beryl knew social pressure well enough to say that she was probably on her way to the Crystal Palace.  
  
The dark crystal glowed with an inner darkness that none could compare to.  
  
"It's time." Beryl smiled with contentment as the dark energy started to pulsate through her body. This mortal form was too weak, anyways. She was done with it now. All she'd had it for was a convenient means to revenge.  
  
Beams of dark light began to break through the mortal woman's skin. Her eyes turned a dark red and a pair of dark red wings started to protrude from her back. A smile took hold of her face. A dark laugh escaped from the newly scaled lips, and Beryl smiled.  
  
"I hope you're ready, Neo Queen Serenity. No longer do you have to deal with Queen Beryl. It's Demon Beryl now."  
  
Her dark laughter ran behind her as she started to fly towards the castle. In approximately half an hour, this world would be hers. In half an hour, Beryl would have her immortal revenge.  
  
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"Are you excited?"  
  
"Yes and no.. I wish I didn't have to get all dressed up just to be introduced to boys like this." Pink haired Usagi looked in the mirror, and smiled. She turned to her friend Hotaru.  
  
"I don't know how you do it, Hotaru.."  
  
"I had some work in there, too, daughter," Serenity said, laughing, and she walked over and hugged her daughter. "I'll be waiting downstairs with the rest of the guests. I know you'll do me proud." With that, the Queen majestically left the room, leaving her daughter and her best friend alone.  
  
"She certainly has a presence, doesn't she?" Usagi said, sighing. "I'll never be able to do that. Thank goodness that won't happen for a long time."  
  
"Don't worry! You're just nervous! Don't let stupid things in the far future get to you now!" Hotaru went behind her friend and hugged her friend's shoulders. "We're going to have fun tonight- you're going to meet some eligible bachelors, and the ones you don't like are all mine!" She winked, and the royal Princess laughed.  
  
"You're right. I'm just nervous, that's all. A debutante doesn't happen every day." She fiddled with her bangs, and then faced her best friend. "They've got to be waiting down there. How about we go down now?"  
  
"Let's." Hotaru said, and the two young women walked down the stairs towards the hall, excitement filling their night.  
  
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"Ami better have a good explanation when she gets here," Lita said, pacing the floor, looking at the hallway. Makato was right behind her, sitting and watching the guardian of Jupiter spout her steam.  
  
Just then, the Mercurian guardian walked in the door in all of her royal blue entirety. She smiled nervously, seeing all her friends and all the royalty standing with slightly impatient airs. Coughing nervously, she sauntered over to where the other planetary guardians stood.  
  
"Well.. was the transport late, or..?" Mars started angrily, but suddenly Neo Queen Serenity appeared from the stairwell. She held Neo Princess Mars back with a hand and smiled at the Princess of Mercury.  
  
"I'm sure Ami has a good explanation. Please, calm down. I'm sure we can find out what that explanation was at the end of the debutante." Ami looked grateful to Serenity, then remembered the odd readings she'd had on the computer earlier that night.  
  
"Serena- I-"  
  
"Hush," Setsuna said, motioning with her finger to her lips. "Here comes our Young Lady."  
  
Surely enough, Princess Usagi was coming down the stairwell, glorious in her white formal princess gown. Mamoru was escorting the young lady on his right side, beaming with pride at his gorgeous daughter. He glanced halfway down the stair at the love of his life, the Neo Queen Serenity.  
  
There were tears in her eyes. All the other guardians held their hands to their mouth, in awe of the young princess's beauty.  
  
Suddenly, Ami's eyes grew in diameter as a certain alarm triggered in her pocket. Afraid to see what it was, Ami opened up the computer in her pocket, and typed a few commands. When she saw what was coming, she panicked.  
  
"Neo Queen Serenity-"  
  
Serena turned and looked at Ami. "Wha.. What's the matter?"  
  
"We've got to transform."  
  
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Beryl's eyes had turned completely blood red, her nostrils flared in anger. She held the jewel before her eyes, its dark rays diffusing all the light that tried to surround the demon.  
  
"I will have my revenge, my sweetling! I will kill you for all that you've done! I will take away all that you love, all that you cherish.. I will take your life!"  
  
The demon's human side was nearly all gone, the skin nearly all peeled away to release a layer of thin fur. She clutched her gem with one hand, the other held itself in a fist, her claws ripping into her flesh. She bled freely, her hands soon covered with the oil of her body.  
  
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"What? Ami, have you gone mad?" Makato asked her friend as Ami pulled out her Mercury transformation wand. Jupiter looked at her friend's eyes. Ami was dead serious. The water senshi kept typing away, then looking at her friends in a dead panic.  
  
"Ami, what's coming?" Serenity asked. The entire ballroom was starting to shift into a mild panic. Usagi even saw it, her eyes darting from side to side of the room. Her father left her side to join the sailor scouts.  
  
"My scanner picked up a major amount of dark energy earlier today. When I scanned, I left the program running in case it got stronger." She pulled out the scanner and showed the others. "If you can't see, it's about fifty thousand times stronger than Nephrenia was in her prime." Ami held her wand in the air.  
  
"Eternal Mercury Power! Make-Up!"  
  
The others looked at each other, their faces panicked. Glancing at young Usagi, they nodded at each other, each knowing their purpose in life. Each clutched their transformation wands, holding them high into the air.  
  
"Eternal Jupiter Power!"  
"Eternal Mars Power!"  
"Eternal Venus Power!"  
"Eternal Saturn Power!"  
"Eternal Uranus Power!"  
"Eternal Neptune Power!"  
"Eternal Pluto Power!"  
  
"MAKE-UP!"  
  
As the transformations continued, Neo Queen Serenity held out the Silver Imperial Crystal and looked at it. Mamoru quickly ran to her side, holding her and quickly transforming into his Kingly outfit. His staff shimmered with its diamond evanescence, and he held his wife dearly, looking deep into her eyes. Tears came to his.  
  
"I don't want to lose you, Usagi," he whispered into her hair, and he stroked her nearly silver hair with his strong but gentle hands.  
  
"I don't want to use it, Mamoru, my love, but I don't want our Usagi to die," she whispered and fell into his arms. He kissed her deeply on the lips, and looked at the crystal, then at her.  
  
"If we do have to, then I hope we are reborn again so that we can find each other all over again," he said, smiling. "Each time we come back, you're more and more beautiful." They held to each other fast, and watched as the outside of the Crystal Palace went dark.  
  
Beryl crashed into the palace, her dark wings enshrouding her now purely demonic form. She looked up at Neo Queen Serenity, her eyes wild with madness. She held out the black jewel in her hand, her claws scratching its sides.  
  
"Protect the Queen and Princess-" Sailor Pluto yelled, running over to make a shield of her and the princess. Mars, Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter formed a wall of four around the Queen, Saturn taking Neo Princess Serenity away from the ballroom.  
  
"You took my life, Sailor Moon. You took my life and my plans to dominate this world. Now I will punish you!"  
  
"You will not harm our kitten!" Sailor Uranus yelled, and suddenly the Space Sword was in her hands. Neptune stood next to her, holding out her mirror. The two held out their weapons, and spun together to do their double attack.  
  
"Uranus and Neptune double planet spinning attack!"  
  
"Fools!" Beryl used her gem to kick the pair out of the way, leaving Pluto and the four inners to protect Neo Queen Serenity.  
  
Sailor Pluto yelled, using her strongest attack to thwart Beryl's plot. "Dead Scream!"  
  
Sailor Saturn ran back into the room in time to see Sailor Pluto be thrown to the side as if she were no more than a rag doll. She gasped and ran to where the inners and Neo Sailor Serenity stood.  
  
Mamoru ran in front of Beryl's next attack, as the inner scouts were starting to tire from their purpose of defending the Princess. He held out his hands, calling the Tuxedo Smoker, but to no avail. Young Usagi tried to escape the four walls of her guardians, but with tears in their eyes, they fought her.  
  
Beryl grabbed ahold of the Earth guardian and held him in front of her towards where Neo Queen Serenity stood. The Queen's eyes widened as they beheld Beryl with her claw against her love's throat. Smiling, Queen Beryl sliced his windpipe with her razor sharp nail, leaving the King to fall to the floor, tears streaming from his eyes.  
  
"MAMORU!"  
  
Neo Queen Serenity ran to his side, as his final words escaped from his mouth.  
  
"I.. love.. you, Usagi..." With that, his breath became shallow, and his hand soon went limp within the Queen's. Young Usagi tried to break free of her protectors, her screams now an endless rain of sobs.  
  
"Why?" Serenity looked up at Demon Beryl, the tears falling freely from her eyes. "Why did you..? Why did you?" She started to sob, but just then, Demon Beryl took a clawed finger and lifted up the Queen's chin.  
  
"This is for you and what you did to me, Sailor Moon. This is for all the pain and suffering you caused me.. and for all the hardship and trials!"  
  
With that, Beryl fed all her anger, greed, and hate into her dark crystal, calling on its apathetic disposition to give her all the evil power the entire galaxy could created. The gem grew so strong that it ran back into her, slamming into her chest and splintering the cells in her body.  
  
"No, I won't let you hurt my kitten!" Uranus cried from where she'd been thrown. Limping, she ran up with her space sword and cut the demon's wrists, Neptune behind her. The ocean senshi poured salt in her wounds by calling up a Deep Submerge.  
  
Demon Beryl smiled. "You think that would honestly hurt me?" The crystal had begun to pulsate in her body, and soon her cuts were healed. Uranus and Neptune stood aghast. Pluto suddenly ran in from the wall she'd been hurled to. Using her staff, she managed to hit the demon directly between the eyes.  
  
Blood started to pour from the demon's sinuses, and she kept her eyes shut, holding her ears against her head. When she opened them, a snarl took shape upon her face. She held one hand to her chest, and used the other to cause a wave of dark power to engulf the three outer sailor scouts. Neptune, Uranus, and Pluto were thrown against a nearby wall, their bodies covered with cuts and bruises.  
  
"Leave this place now! We have no use for demons such as you," Saturn said, her left hand clutching her Silence Glaive. Using her Glaive as a weapon, Saturn cut the demon's face, where the wounds were beginning to mend themselves. She began to gather her energy for a final death, when suddenly the demon's hand came out of no where to hold onto the senshi's neck.  
  
Saturn desperately fought for breath, then fell to the floor when Beryl finally released her to approach the Neo Princess, whose wails of agony were painful to the ear and heartfelt to the mind. The four inner planetary guardians stood rock-still as the horror approached them.  
  
Shutting her still-bleeding eyes, Beryl used the dark crystal's energy within her to shoot a beam of dark power against the Planetary Inners and the Neo Queen Serenity. Saturn watched through closed eyes as the life was drained from Lita, Makato, Rei, and Ami. When they fell to the ground, all that was left was young Usagi and Beryl.  
  
Serenity held her silver crystal in her hands, tears in her eyes from the pain and suffering as she stood up to face the demon that threatened her daughter. Her face was wet from sobbing.  
  
"Silver Imperial Crystal- Activate!"  
  
Suddenly a silver glow engulfed the Neo Queen and the entire court of the Crystal Palace. The symbol of the white moon glowed pure white on Serena's forehead, and light beams flew out of the gem through Serena. Her nearly white hair flew out from around her face, her pony tails flowing about her.  
  
Beryl never had a chance, as the bright white light encompassed her form. Everything beyond her was drowned out by the sheer brilliance of the crystal's power, and the Demon Beryl found herself healed from her demonic self, leaving a mortal human girl to lay in front of the planetary guardians.  
  
Her last dregs of energy spent, Queen Serenity fell face first onto the ground, her beautiful face marred from exhaustion beyond rest. The Imperial Crystal dropped beside her, its brilliance dulled, its vassal gone.  
  
Sailor Saturn watched as the Neo Queen fell, her breath caught in her chest. She ran up to her Queen, and cradled her face in her hands, her tears falling onto Serenity's delicate face. Pluto, Uranus, and Neptune all reached out from their spots on the nearby marble floor. Saturn's tears fell freely, and she looked towards the other Outer System scouts for comfort.  
  
"I must do it," she said aloud to the other scouts, who nodded once they realized what she was going to do. Sailor Saturn stood up, the Silence Glaive in her left hand. She let her right hand play upon the staff, letting it rotate until it was in the position she wanted.  
  
"Saturn Rebirth!" She cried aloud over the bodies of the inners, Serena, and Mamoru. Her power reached out to the souls of the dying bodies, pulling them from eternal death into rebirth. Gentle balls of light escaped each of them, their souls ready for the next step. Once she had done this, she called on her power to have the children reborn in the years to come.  
  
Seeing her labors done, Sailor Saturn collapsed into a dead faint, Sailors Neptune and Uranus catching her before her head hit the floor. Pluto stood, looking at the wreckage that the Crystal Palace had undergone.  
  
"Where is the Princess, I wonder?" she spoke aloud.  
  
"No longer Princess, Pluto," Uranus said bitterly. "Neo Star Queen. Beryl took care of that.. Kitten.." she looked to where the Queen had laid. "Mars.. Mercury.. Jupiter.. Venus.." Her throat tightened, and Neptune's hand enclosed hers.  
  
"Has anyone told our royal highness?" Pluto asked, looking down at Mamoru and the others. She de-transformed, and looked at the others.  
  
"No," Michiru said, after she'd de-transformed. "I don't think I could do it. And Saturn sure can't," she said, holding the young woman's head in her hands.  
  
"Neither can I," Hakura said. "Setsuna, could you..?"  
  
The jade-haired woman wiped a sleeve with her tears, then stood up straight. "I must. For she must take control of this at once.. that is what rulers are made to do."  
  
She walked off, jaw firmly set and locked, her eyes shut so that she would not cry. Even if their friends were gone now.. they'd be back. Perhaps not the same, perhaps not in a way that they would understand, but they'd be back.  
  
Hakura and Michiru sat in silence for a moment, then finally gave into their grief, crying on each others' shoulders. As they held each other, Saturn lost her senshi form, turning back into Hotaru.  
  
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"I can't do it, Pluto, I just.. I can't!" The Neo Star Queen said between sobs, laying on her bed. "I didn't even get to do my debutante in front of the my parents and friends. I didn't even get to make my official debutante for the royalty.. how can I ever think of getting married now?"  
  
She sat up, her eyes turning mad. "Pluto, give me your time key- I can go and save them.." Pluto's eyes appeared downcast. "Pluto, please- let me go save my mother and father- please- let me save everyone! Ami.. Lena, Rei.. Makato! Please!" She looked up at the emerald-haired senshi, and then fell into the old guardian's hands as the tears fell down her face.  
  
"Shh," Setsuna said, tears of her own starting to slip down her face. She reached out and gave the princess, no, now Queen, she had to remind herself, a deep hug. Both of their tears mingled. Pluto pulled away when it seemed the tears had quieted down.  
  
"We couldn't go back and change things as they would be. When you went to the past the first two times.. you didn't do anything that would cause a major change in the course of history, as the senshi either prevented it," Usagi sighed, remembering her parents and friends as young teenagers, "or it didn't happen. In either case, I can't let you go back and prevent their death. If you tried to.. think about it, Usagi.  
  
"They died to save you. If you went back, perhaps you'd die this time, and take them with you as well. Perhaps you'd make no difference at all. But there would still be two of you in that time period, and even if you came back to the present, your parents would not be alive."  
  
"What? But.. but how?" Usagi looked at the senshi of time, searching for an answer.  
  
"They are already on their way to coming back."  
  
"What?" Usagi asked, looking at Pluto with wild wide eyes. "What.. what do you mean? How..?" Suddenly it occurred to her what must have happened.  
  
"Why did you tell Hotaru to do that? Why?" Usagi asked, pulling at Pluto's ribbon on her chest before collapsing onto the bed, her tears wetting the mattress. Pluto de-transformed and sat next to her, stroking the Pink Lady's hair.  
  
"We did it because, young Queen, your mother had spent all her energy to defeat Demon Beryl, and none to let herself and the others exist, even if you had gone back in time. They would have been wiped from all existence if Saturn had not given them her power to be reborn."  
  
She lifted up the Queen's chin, and looked at her with her red eyes. "Don't worry, small lady. You'll see her again someday. Not the same way as you knew her, but perhaps you'll see it in a future someone's step, the way they smile. Our friends will come back, I promise."  
  
"Father too?" Usagi asked.  
  
"Yes, all of them. Your mother, father, Makato-chan, Lena-chan, Ami-chan, and even Rei-chan. They'll be different, but they will come back. And they'll still be the sailor scouts destiny picked them to be," she said, and stroked her young Queen's hair.  
  
Neo Star Queen Serenity stood up and faced Setsuna, her mentor and friend. Her eyes were determined, even though her chest rose and fell with fear.  
  
"Have they cancelled the debutante?" she asked the woman.  
  
"Yes, but we could only move it to later in the month. Despite great losses, most royalty does not seem to understand what grieving is," she said, glancing to where the door opened to reveal Hakura, Michiru, and a very pale Hotaru. Hakura held a child in her arms, looking towards her new Queen.  
  
"Young Kitten, I.." Hakura started, swallowing. Usagi looked at her with tears in her eyes, then stood up so that the young girl could be laid out on the bed. She went to where the others were standing and embraced them, all their cheeks now wet.  
  
Just then, Usagi noticed the young girl laid out on the bed. Her face was so peaceful, in contrast with the way her clothing appeared, which was no more than a few ripped ribbons. Setsuna laid a blanket on the young child, then looked at the rest of them standing in the corner.  
  
"She was the one?" Usagi asked the others. Michiru nodded. "I looked into her with her mirror. Beryl convinced the poor child that she was the reincarnation of herself." She reached out to stroke a red lock of hair.  
  
"It's funny. She sort of looks like Chibi Chibi," Hotaru murmured, and the others nodded. Usagi gave them a strange glance, then asked the question that laid deep within her mind.  
  
"How did Beryl survive all these years?"  
  
"We've no idea," Setsuna replied, looking at the others. "I think perhaps she somehow got ahold of a way to make herself into a spirit before she was defeated. Maybe she was imprisoned all these years and simply just became free. We won't know until she appears again. If she does. I'm hoping she doesn't."  
  
Usagi looked at the rest of the women, and held back a sob. So many were missing, most of all, her parents. She glanced at them, then headed out the door, her court behind her.  
  
"Make this an official day of mourning," she told them with a serious voice. "Today shall be a day of mourning not just our loved ones, but all that have fallen in order to protect our livelihood and peace." She walked off, her head held high, but tears in her eyes.  
  
I'll see you again, mother and father, she thought to herself. I'll see you again, and make your lives better for the world I now control. I'll do the best I can, even if it's not as good as the one you created was. But I'll do my best for your sakes.  
  
With that thought, the new Queen walked into the throne room, ready to address her people of this most horrible tragedy and how it would affect them. Her eyes were dry as she went to see her people, her voice firm. The New Queen had arrived.  
  
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NINE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY YEARS HENCE..  
  
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Luna stood looking at the stars, her tail slowly falling asleep. She still couldn't believe that they were only twenty years away from the Neo Star Queen's millennium festival. It was hard to believe that small Chibi- Usa, as she'd known the girl once, was already a well-regarded and respected ruler, with a vast kingdom and many treaties made during her rule.  
  
Artemis sidled up next to his wife and rubbed her face with his white one. Luna smiled. As of late, they'd been finding that one of their whiskers might turn gray every now and then. Even though they still felt as if they were newborn kittens when it came to energy, there was no doubt of one thing. She thought, continuing to sit.  
  
We might only have another two or three millennia to find the girls before we need to be reborn. That doesn't give us much time, considering how long it takes girls and boys to grow up now days. They might only be babes by the time we would find them.  
  
"Thinking, my love?" Artemis asked, sitting next to her. He nodded. "I thought so. I don't know if you've heard, but Diana has said that Kastin has proposed to her."  
  
Luna looked at her husband in happy shock. "You're.. you're kidding? Queen Mau and her consort's son?" She rubbed against his face in joy. "I'm so happy for her. I knew she loved him, and he her, but I didn't know if his parents had given the blessing for marriage or not."  
  
"It's a done deal. I've talked to King Callipso, and he said that his Queen and he were overjoyed. He's going to live here so that Diana will not shirk in her duties to our Queen. However, his parents will set up a Mau transport for us so he, as well as us, can go back and forth whenever we desire."  
  
"I'm so happy." Luna said. She cuddled next to her. "I don't think I've ever been this happy since Usagi.." she faltered, and looked to her husband, who licked her ears with tender care.  
  
"They'll come back. The only trick is finding them before any dark force that is still lingering does. Remember, Hotaru said they weren't entirely certain they'd completely vanquished Beryl. And I would hope that they would be pure enough in their hearts not to succumb to that evil."  
  
"I know, I just worry," the raven feline replied. Together they sat in the darkness, the moonlight making their golden crescents glow with a sparkling light.  
  
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"Rhia! Rhiaya Mizuan! Stop typing this instant!" A loud voice rang throughout the Mizuan household, a young blue-eyed girl being the center of the harassment.  
  
Rolling her eyes, the household hacker quit her furious typing and took off her blackbox headgear, then removed her biker netlink gloves. She smiled as she turned off her Delta computer wrist computer, then ran down the stairs to where a furious mother awaited.  
  
"Rhia?"  
  
"Yes mother?"  
  
"I've been calling and calling for you. Dinner's ready. Didn't you hear?"  
  
"No mother. May I still join you?"  
  
"Certainly. By the way, Hideki's here tonight. Be polite."  
  
The young woman said something under her breath about dating parents, then bowed before she entered the dining area. Her mother had really jazzed up the area, putting some of her more delicate crystal work in the center of the table.  
  
Her mother had gotten lucky, receiving that job as official Crystal Palace Architect. It meant that Rhia's mother could afford to help her daughter with her hobbies and still be home on the weeknights to offer help with schoolwork. Although Rhia had finished her graduate degree years ago, she still wasn't the required age of one thousand that was required to be an adult, and that put a hold on things.  
  
So, the woman had gone back to get her doctorate in computer technology, and it was only ten more years before she'd be completely qualified. Rhia couldn't wait.  
  
After sitting down to dinner, Rhia slapped herself on the forehead.  
  
"Mother, pardon me, but I forgot to disengage my monitor. May I please run upstairs so that I may turn it off?"  
  
Rhia's mother shook her head, then smiled. "Certainly, but be quick about it," she replied, looking towards Hideki with a lovesick grin. Rhia tried not to groan as she disentangled herself from her sitting pillow and ran upstairs.  
  
She'd been looking up information from over a thousand years ago, when the old dynasty of the Neo Kingdom had fallen, killing four of the Sailor Senshi, and Neo Queen Serenity, along with her King. Someone in school had told her that it was impossible to find out the exact details of what had occurred, since it had been a thousand years ago, and computers were not as good as they were now.  
  
Taking her friend up on the dare, Rhia had located the files on the former sailor senshi, reflecting on each of them. It was funny how typing and getting codes came so easy to Rhia. She laughed. Her one Buddhist friend would tell her that she'd been a typist in her former life.  
  
Looking at her eyepiece monitor, Rhia smiled. It had been an interesting read on the Queen, her King, and the guardians Mars, Venus, and Jupiter. She had yet to read Mercury's, which was next on her list.  
  
Thinking of the scene which awaited her downstairs, Rhia figured what the hell, she'd get a sneak peak at the file while the two downstairs would make busy without her there.  
  
Opening the file named mercury.exe, she placed her headset back on. Rhia smiled. She'd been the strategist of the group, although it stated that she'd been the weakest senshi. Rhia thought that was rather unfair. The strongest person on a team was always the strategist.  
  
Suddenly, Rhia felt a sharp pain on her forehead. Removing her goggles, she held it with her hand. The pain had yet to go away. She reached over with a mirror to perhaps see what was ailing her, be it bruise or cut.  
  
What she saw made her scream.  
  
A blue symbol, a heart on top of a cross, raised itself from the center of her forehead. It glowed gently, the edges of it unseen and unfelt by human senses. Scared, Rhia sank back into her bed, throwing the mirror away from her. This was far too weird.  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
"Artemis! Pink Lady!"  
  
Luna's cry awoke both her husband and the current ruler with a start. Serenity ran over to where the black cat stood on her haunches.  
  
"Luna, whatever is the matter?" she asked as Artemis rubbed his wife, concerned.  
  
"I.. I felt one of them. A sailor scout. One has finally awakened."  
  
In shock, the Neo Star Queen sat down near the cat and looked deep into her eyes. "Do you know where she is?" Luna shook her head in a no.  
  
"All I can say is that she's somewhere nearby. I don't know how we'll find her."  
  
"Hmm.." Usagi said, looking at the two cats. Then, she snapped her fingers.  
  
"I'll send you with this," she said, holding a ball of light in her hands, which she then passed to Luna by touching the crescent on her forehead. "Perhaps you can awaken her fully with it, and bring her home to see me.. God, it's been so long," she whispered to the darkness around her.  
  
"I'll find her," Luna promised, and started off, her mission in mind. Artemis and Usagi watched until she was out of sight.  
  
"May the silver moon guide you, Luna," the Queen whispered as Luna disappeared into the dark of the late night.  
  
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(To be continued..)  
  
Please R/R. I hope you enjoy this! :D 


	2. Awakening

a/n: Thank you so much for your kind words- I hope that you continue to enjoy this story- this is indeed a pleasure to write with such people enjoying it. With that said, enjoy! ^_^  
  
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Luna padded down the streets of Neo Tokyo, using the powers first endowed to her from the Queen Serenity to try and find the newly awakened Sailor Scout. Although where this child could be, she did not know. She didn't even know which scout it would be- it had been too long since she had been in the presence of the inner scouts.  
  
What a twisted sense of humor irony would have if the first scout she would find would be a newly reborn Moon. Usagi had been a troublesome child at first to manage, but Luna had always found something intangible about her, something beautiful that was unseen to the eye.  
  
As she padded through the streets, it came to her attention just how run down some of the poorer districts had become. Although poor was not the term it had been over a millennium ago, and there was no one in want of food or shelter, there were still people who were not as fortunate as others.  
  
A few shingles missing here and there.. some broken windows.. these things must be called to the Pink Lady's attention whenever she returned to the palace. If attentions had not been turned elsewhere to treaties and such, perhaps there would not be such places as this. It would definitely be changed as soon as the Pink Lady would find out.  
  
"Hey there kitty," a woman said to Luna, sitting on a step overlooking the gutter and roadway. She held out her hand towards the black cat, enticing her to follow her. Luna knew better than that, running away from the woman. Too many experiences with youmas had taught her enough.  
  
She continued her way down the street, finally coming upon a slightly better off neighborhood. The strong sense of need pulled her towards this direction- Luna could feel the senshi's calling deep in her heart.  
  
Finally, she came upon the house where she felt the pull strongest. Looking about the house from all sides, Luna finally came upon a small window where a bright light was shining, and where she could hear faintly a girl's screams.  
  
Luna looked about her for something she could use to climb up to where the girl was. Heaven knows it would be easier than awakening Usagi the first time. At least this child knew something was up.  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Rhia sat upon her bed, hugging her knees tightly to her chest. She didn't know what was going on, but it was starting to scare the hell out of her. Nothing like this ever happened to ordinary girls like her- or did it?  
  
Perhaps she was possessed by some sort of demon or angel- perhaps she was an agent of an impending apocalypse. Such things happened- there had just been news on the nets the other day, claiming that some woman had started to grow claws and fangs, only to have them disappear the next day. They even had digital proof.  
  
Then again, knowing her mother, this could just be some sort of revenge for being on the nets too long- perhaps she'd attached this.. glowing thing to her goggles, so that the next time she'd put them on, it would stick to her forehead.  
  
Maybe she was just going insane. Or perhaps it was just from lack of sleep. There were so many logical explanations- that's right, too many things that would make sense for there to be anything supernatural about this. Right.  
  
Just then, Rhia heard a rustling outside her window. Scared to her wits' end of anything suddenly popping into her room, the teenage girl grabbed a nearby TV monitor and held it fast in her hand like a rock.  
  
"Who's there? Show yourself or else.. I.. I'm armed," she stuttered to the window, coming behind where her curtains were, having her back to the wall.  
  
A mound of black fur bounded into the room, across the floor, and then finally settled onto the bed. Rhia reacted quickly and threw the monitor at the bed, missing the furry assailant.  
  
"Cat.. in room. Not burglar. Not spooky person. Cat. I can handle cat." Rhia sat down on the floor, breathing hard. She'd been scared stiff. "Okay. I'm going to stand up and remove the cat from my room. It's probably a stray anyways. But wait- strays can have rabies.."  
  
Her eyes growing wide, she stood up, using the wall as a support to help herself. Rhia made her way over to the bed to apprehend the animal, clutching a shirt to her in which to nab the cat and remove it. "Quick. Got to be quick so I don't get rabies. Got to be-"  
  
"I don't have rabies, so I wouldn't worry about it if I were you."  
  
"WHA??" Rhiana jumped away from the bed, causing one of her rare china animals to fall down from her bureau, smashing into pieces when it hit the floor. She grabbed the handles behind her, her knuckles white.  
  
"You.. can talk."  
  
Luna stretched her claws as she stood up, then licked her shoulder where the fur had gotten a bit smashed. She looked up at the girl standing in front of her.  
  
Dark blue eyes, with violet hair to match. She'd have to be about five or ten years short of adulthood- she looked like what used to be called an older teenager, perhaps eighteen, nineteen, in past times. Her face was pale, making the girl look like she hadn't been in the sun that often. Glancing at her hands and knuckles, Luna would have to say that this girl must have been a whiz on a computer.  
  
On closer inspection, Luna smiled. She knew this girl.  
  
"Luna, senior advisor to the Pink Lady. And you are Rhiana Mizunan, correct?"  
  
"You're from the palace? That's.. that's where my mom works," Rhia said, sitting down. "But how come you can talk- I mean.." Suddenly, Rhia remembered the Mau advisor to the Neo Star Queen, Diana.  
  
"Oh- you're not a cat, are you? You're from the planet Mau."  
  
She sat down on the floor, much more at ease, hardly aware of the symbol on her forehead. Rhia smiled at the black cat that sat on her bed, twisting a strand of violet hair.  
  
"So, what are you doing here? I mean, you gave me the scare of my life there, Miss Luna." She stood up to sit next to Luna on the bed.  
  
"It will take a while to explain, but I have a feeling that you might already know, subconsciously, what I am going to say." Luna sat back on her haunches, letting her front paws sit flat. "You are not a normal mortal, Miss Rhiana Mizunan. You were, long ago, a Princess of a planet within the solar system."  
  
Rhia sat, listening, the look on her face growing more and more puzzled.  
  
"You held a seat of power in one of the most powerful systems of the entire galaxy. You, and other warriors, brought harmony to this set of planets by governing with your kind and loving touch. However, darkness came to this set of peaceful worlds, and all their lives were destroyed. They were sent to Earth, so that they could rekindle their lives in order to protect the solar system from anymore threats."  
  
"You know, that sounds exactly like the story of the sailor scouts- the nine planets, the Neo Queen and King." Rhiana said, thinking. "Do you mean to tell me that there is another set of warriors meant to protect this world?"  
  
"No, my child," Luna said, looking at the girl sadly. Even though her age was many in years, her heart was still as innocent as a newborn's.  
  
"Well then.. this doesn't make sense.. what does this all have to do with me?"  
  
"My child, you are one of the legendary sailor senshi."  
  
Rhiana laughed. "That's impossible. Everyone knows that they're still here. The ones that were dead can't come back because the Neo Queen wasn't able to give them rebirth. Besides, they were born knowing they were senshi. How could I become a senshi by not being born into it?"  
  
Luna shook her head. "My poor child. No one tells the youth anything. The scouts were chosen when they were about your age- although your age in body I mean, not in years. And the fact of the Neo Queen not being able to bring the senshi back was not entirely true."  
  
Rhia's eyes grew with fear. "Wha.. what do you mean?"  
  
"Rhia, pick up that mirror that sits on the floor in front of you." Luna said, watching the girl pick it up slowly, but not without hesitation first.  
  
"What will I see when I look in the mirror, Miss Luna?" she said, picking up the small mirror by the handle. There was fear in her dark blue eyes.  
  
"You will see something that will confirm what I have told you- and you will see something that will change your life from this point hence. I do not blame you if you hesitate- destiny is not something lightly received. But do not be afraid. I will be here with you."  
  
"Oh.. okay.." Rhia said, her heart beating faster instead of slower from Luna's words of comfort. She held the mirror's handle away from her, her head turned away. Finally she got the courage to look into the mirror.  
  
There she definitely was- but the symbol was still on her head. And if she now remembered correctly, it was the type of symbol that the sailor scouts had on their foreheads whenever the transformed..  
  
"I'm a sailor senshi." Rhia put the mirror down, and looked at Luna. "But how.. which.. who.."  
  
"Be quiet for a moment, and touch my forehead."  
  
Rhia, still afraid, suddenly placed her hand on the golden crescent that lay on Luna's forehead. As she did, she felt a large wave of energy flow from inside of Luna to within herself.  
  
Memories flew by her- a torrent of water, people that she had no recollection of, names that meant nothing. Suddenly, there were tears in her eyes. Minako, Makato, Usagi, Rei- the memories began to flood into her. The senshi of water, of ice, they'd once called her. She put her other hand to her face- her hair was longer now.  
  
Moments of pain flew into her, then, the feeling that she'd let the other girls down by not warning them when the demon known as Beryl had attacked. Remembering how she had died, protecting the Neo Princess. Feeling the life drain itself from her body as the demon had ripped her soul from her flesh.  
  
Even further back the memories went, to her first time being chosen as a sailor senshi. The computer cram school, becoming Sailor Mercury- when Elios had upgraded her powers to make her Super Sailor Mercury- when the Neo Queen had made her Eternal Sailor Mercury. She remembered being the Princess of Mercury, the fall of the original Kingdom.  
  
She remembered the birth of a new star- the star of the planet Mercury, and how she had been bourne of it.  
  
Sweating, Rhia let her hand slide off of Luna's forehead. She looked at the cat, then picked up the mirror again to look at herself in it. The same image of herself appeared, but this time a ghost appeared there as well- one that held the same blue eyes, but short blue hair. She started to cry.  
  
"Don't. shh. I thought you might be like this. Here, pet me," Luna ordered, and Rhia did, without thinking. A soothing presence came from Luna's body, and suddenly the memories no longer seemed so raw, so present in her everyday life.  
  
"What did you do?" Rhia asked Luna, touching her head with her right hand.  
  
"I simply put your memories into a less painful place of your soul, until you're ready to live with them. You're no longer Ami Mizuno. You are Rhiana Mizunan, daughter of the Crystal Tokyo Architect. However, that does not mean that you are no longer a sailor senshi."  
  
"What..?"  
  
Luna covered her mouth with a paw. "Every other word of yours seems to be 'what', I find it amusing to say." She smiled, then spoke.  
  
"Hold out your hand."  
  
Rhia, used to listening to Luna by this point, held out her left hand for whatever the black cat wished.  
  
Suddenly a small pink light arose from Luna's forehead, falling silently into Rhiana's hand. The light turned into a million sparkles that spun their way into a solid form within the young woman's hand. She clenched it into a fist, the enormous magical energy too much for her eyes.  
  
When she opened her hand, a scepter with the symbol of mercury upon its top lay within. A large sapphire orb had the golden symbol upon it, and two white glistening wings rose from either side of its pearly handle. Rhia looked at Luna.  
  
"And this would be..?"  
  
"Your new transformation wand. You should not need to use it tonight- you have enough to sleep on. But know that you will be called to the palace tomorrow, where you will be among friends when you transform for the first time." Luna rubbed her head against Rhia's leg.  
  
"You're more than I expected you to be. You have a good sound heart, and a strong sense of confidence. You will go far once more. Now, get some rest, and I shall see you tomorrow. Good eve."  
  
With that, Luna jumped out the window and out into the night. Rhia sat there, her mind in a million different places. She sat, and sat, then finally laid her head down on her nearby pillow.  
  
A few minutes later, her mother knocked on her door.  
  
"Hideki left for the night.. are you okay, my daughter?"  
  
"I'm fine, mother," Rhiana said, rolling away from the doorway where her mother stood. She clutched her blanket tightly and shut her eyes, trying to make all the memories and knowledge go away.  
  
Her mother stood at the doorway for a minute, then sighed. She'd hopefully tell her eventually. "Goodnight, daughter. Sweet dreams."  
  
Sweet dreams were the last thing on Rhia's mind as she went to sleep. She fell into a blissful dreamless abyss, her mind wandering everywhere in the universe.  
  
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"Pink Lady-" Luna ran up the stairs of the Crystal Palace to where her regal Majesty sat on her throne. The Neo Star Queen rose immediately and strode over to where Luna stood on all fours, sitting down so that she could be on the senior advisor's level.  
  
"Yes, Luna? Did you find her?" She picked up the Mau and went inside to where the remaining sailor senshi sat at a table. Diana waited near the door, her gray tail twitching with anticipation. As soon as Serenity walked into the room, Luna hopped down from her arms to sit next to her husband, who rubbed her cheek affectionately with his.  
  
It had been many years since the entire circle of senshi had been together in the same room and for the same single purpose. Since Usagi's coronation, things had been pretty busy in the palace, and beyond- the kingdom of Earth had to make many treaties and such, leaving no time for socialization among the princesses and Queen.  
  
Hotaru sat in a nearby chair, her black hair still the short unchangeable way it had been whenever the Neo Kingdom had fallen, and the Neo Star Kingdom had been born. Now the senshi of death and rebirth sat in a lounging outfit, pushing her black strands behind her earlobes.  
  
The guardians of Uranus and Neptune sat comfortably on a loveseat, Michiru laid with her hair strewn over Hakura's lap. Hakura stroked her love's delicate strands of hair with an idle hand. Yawning, Michiru snuggled closer to her love, the two of them embracing without limbs.  
  
Setsuna was the only one that seemed completely unchanged from the one thousand years that had passed. As the senshi of time, it was necessary, however, that such a thing would be, as change would be unnatural to the one who must rule the time stream. She smiled and nodded at Luna, who bounded on top of the table with Artemis.  
  
"Well? Did you find her-" Usagi began.  
  
"Yes, yes, but hold on, let me start from the beginning," Luna said, holding up a paw to silence the young Queen. It made Luna sad at times like this, to see Usagi act so much like her mother.  
  
"Mercury has been awakened."  
  
"Mercury?" Hotaru said, then smiled, looking at the others. "That'd be just like her. Being well in advance of everyone else. Although, I'd have to admit that I thought Usagi-" she glanced at the current queen to make sure she hadn't upset her, "would be the first one to awaken."  
  
"Who.. I mean, how is she? How different is she from her former life?" Michiru asked, sitting up, still by Hakura's side. "Is she still the wonderful swimmer that I remember her to be?" Hakura poked her in the side, and Michiru laughed.  
  
"Don't get jealous, dear.. you're making me blush," she said, and Hakura gave up her jealous act, folding her arms in a mock pout.  
  
"Ah-hem." Luna cleared her throat. "She was actually right under our noses, if you can believe it. The Crystal Palace Architect had a daughter- and that daughter just happens to be the new Mercury. She's still a brain, perhaps not in the same way that Ami was, but still quite intelligent."  
  
"I glanced at her fingers, and it wouldn't surprise me if this is the girl that has been messing with the infonet- she's got the look of a hacker about her. She's a quick one, although still as trusting as Ami was. She's got more confidence, too, than Ami had. What's curious is that her appearance hasn't changed that much."  
  
"What do you mean?" Setsuna asked.  
  
"I mean, she has the same shape of face, color eyes.. the only difference is her hair. It's now violet and about an inch or two longer than Ami's used to be." Luna sat on her haunches. "If the rest of the reborn sailor senshi are as similar as their previous selves-"  
  
"There's also one other matter that could help us, Luna." Hakura stated. "There's still the matter of Miyako." She looked at the others.  
  
"Miyako? What does she have to do with this? We took care of this ages ago-cleared her name, gave her a safe home here in the palace so that no one would be able to hurt her in the future. It's not her fault that Beryl chose to-" Hotaru started, but was cut off by Usagi.  
  
"Silence. This is old business. Miyako had nothing to do with the attack all those years ago. I thought we had taken care of that. But I do want to hear what you have to say about this, Hakura. What exactly do you mean that Miyako could help us?"  
  
"Even though she was only possessed by Beryl for a short amount of time, there still was enough time for her to feel what each of our auras felt like when she.." Hakura swallowed. "In any case, if Miyako went along with Luna whenever she would feel stirrings of another planet's reawakening, we would be able to tell who it is, essentially."  
  
"Interesting theory, Hakura. And if it doesn't work? What do we tell Miyako then?" Setsuna asked.  
  
"That it was just a failed experiment. And we don't mention it again. I'm sure that she wouldn't mind helping us. Even though we have told her time and time again that this wasn't her fault, I know that she still feels a bit of residual guilt."  
  
"Hakura- we shouldn't use that fact to our advantage!" Michiru said, looking at her love. "We'd be just as bad as others if we made her do this- "  
  
"Which is why we will not make her do it," Usagi said carefully. "We will ask her to. Perhaps this will ease her heart, to help bring the people that through her, were put to death, to life once more. Maybe it will heal her in ways we cannot."  
  
"Then it's settled?" Diana asked Usagi, looking at her with open yellow eyes.  
  
"If you could contact her first thing tomorrow morning?" Usagi responded, nodding, then looking at the others. "Well, Rhiana will be here tomorrow morning to transform for the first time. And then we will be able to welcome back our star of Mercury with outstretched arms. It will be a wonderful beginning."  
  
"Indeed, Usagi. Soon, we'll have them all back." Hotaru said, smiling as she started to leave the room. "Soon we'll be complete."  
  
Setsuna, Michiru, and Hakura were the next to leave, Luna and Artemis following, going to their own quarters. Neo Star Queen Serenity absent- mindedly petted Diana, looking out towards the stars.  
  
"We'll be complete. But why do I have this forewarning in my heart, this feeling that something will not go right?"  
  
"I don't know, Usagi, I don't know," Diana answered, and the two left the room, the stars outside sparkling with an iridescent light.  
  
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Rhia was standing on the edge of a plain, overlooking a large river whose waves moved subtlety by way of a gentle wind. She opened her hand and held it out before her, studying the contours of her palm. Turning it downwards, she held her hand over the water, then waved it slowly back and forth.  
  
The water responded accordingly, moving to the same pattern that Rhia set for it, calmly dispersing its droplets into an eerie sort of dance. She let her eyes close, feeling the rhythm that the water seemed to create. She spun around in a dance, feeling warmth and pressure surround her.  
  
Opening her eyes, she saw the water forming a tunnel about her form, enveloping her in a beautiful pattern of droplets. She let her hands drop, watching the water continue to move in a gorgeous display of vapor, until it slowly fell to the ground. Laughing, Rhia turned around.  
  
Ami Mizuno was staring deeply into her eyes, a nearly exact carbon copy of herself, save for the color and length of hair. Rhia held out her hand, and Ami held out hers to Rhia. Their hands touched, and Rhia cried a bit, falling to her knees on the ground.  
  
Ami followed suit, kneeling next to Rhia, and then finally reaching out and embracing the young woman, putting her hands around the violet- haired female. Rhia looked at her, her blue eyes meeting an exact set right behind her.  
  
"I- I don't know what to say.." Rhia said to the blue-haired woman, who smiled at Rhia, and stroked her hair as the violet haired one continued to cry. "I.. it's too big for me. I can't handle it. I'm not you- I'm not brave enough to save millions of people- hell, I- you- we- couldn't even save the Neo Kingdom when it nearly was destroyed a thousand years ago.." Rhia broke down, and she placed her head in her hands.  
  
"Shh.." Ami said, her blue hair appearing ghostlike. "You're right about one thing, Rhia- you are not me. And I don't expect you to be. Reincarnations aren't exactly like their past life. In fact, in retrospect, I think of you as a greatly improved version of myself- you're smart, but you're outgoing and not afraid to speak your mind."  
  
"You need to find your inner peace before you can accept your role as a sailor senshi fully." She continued to stroke the younger woman's hair. "Do not fear, Rhia. I will not haunt you. You are me, and how could one ever haunt oneself? It just wouldn't be possible." At that, Rhia gave a small giggle.  
  
"There, you see? Not so bad now." She lifted Rhia's chin up towards her own. "Do not be afraid of destiny, Rhia. I was, a long time ago. Now, I want to make sure that this time around we aren't afraid."  
  
Rhia sat up and looked at the blue-haired woman. "I will be here when you need me, for advice, for counsel, for self-renewal. One day will come when you won't need me anymore, because you will be me- and I will no longer be needed in this time. Until then, young Rhia, look for me in your dreams."  
  
With that, Ami stood, her blue hair whispering in the wind. She smiled, and helped Rhia to stand up. "The only thing I would worry about right now is to find the star that is failing. She may not survive the night, if others have their way. And to save her, you will have to sacrifice your fear for strength."  
  
"What? The star that is failing- I.. I do not understand."  
  
"You will, soon. Wake up- she needs you now!"  
  
Rhia opened her eyes, sweat pouring down her forehead. She sat up, reaching across her brow to wipe the droplets from her eyebrows.  
  
"Losing a star, losing a star.. what could it mean?" She grabbed the sides of her head, rocking back and forth, bringing her knees close to her. Her pillow was slid to the side of the bed, her breathing becoming too erratic to hold it in place.  
  
"Wait a minute- Luna said that I was the guardian of the planet Mercury- but in ancient literature, weren't the planets considered stars..?" Her eyes growing wide with a mixture of anticipation and fear, Rhia grabbed her headgear and V-chip blackbox. Strapping the equipment into the headgear's hard drive, she turned on her computer and pulled out her keypad.  
  
Slipping on the keypad glove, she allowed her right hand to stretch before letting her fingers run like fury over the keys. She had to find out the truth- if the planets were considered stars, which planet would be in the most trouble in this juncture of time? Which one? And how would she be able to find her?  
  
Her typing growing more and more frantic, Rhia continued her search, cracking official Crystal Tokyo datastreams in order to get the information she needed. Luna had said that the Kingdom was behind her 100%, and she only hoped that it was true when she could possibly get into trouble for hacking all of this.  
  
Finally, the file she'd been searching for had come up. The nine planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. Of the planets currently in rotation, the most volatile would be Saturn, but that senshi was already active. Of the four planets that weren't active, if she were to believe that the Neo Star Queen was the representative for Earth, only three remained inactive: Venus, Mars, and Jupiter.  
  
Looking at the path of the planets, Rhia concluded that the one in least danger had to be Venus. That planet seemed well out of the way of any sort of danger. But when she looked at the other two, it was a close bet. Both were running dangerously close in their trajectories towards the sun.  
  
"How am I supposed to know?" Rhia said, pulling her pillow up from down on the floor and looking up at the screen in her goggles. Suddenly, something occurred to her, and she typed in another command.  
  
"I wonder.. if there's some sort of cosmic event that is supposed to occur.. today to one of them. Hmm.." She sat back up and typed in a few more commands. Suddenly, the answer became clear. The gas planet of Jupiter had a small spot of density that had been building up over the last few centuries. And if her calculations were correct..  
  
"That area of density is going to collapse- there will be a small amount of time when a black hole appears for about 0.001 seconds in the atmosphere- it won't kill the planet, but it will take another few centuries for it to recover. That's it. The senshi in trouble is Jupiter.. I have to find Sailor Jupiter.."  
  
"But how?"  
  
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"Arte..mis.." Luna said, sleepily, then suddenly jolted awake. "Artemis.. Artemis!" She pushed her husband lightly with a black paw until he became awake.  
  
"Luna, do you know what time it is?" He yawned and stretched, then sat up, scratching his left ear with a hind paw.  
  
"Artemis- something's wrong. I feel one of the other senshi awakening- but the signal is fading, almost as if the light is about to fade away into darkness."  
  
"What?" Artemis sat up, his tail becoming erect and straight. "What do you mean?" He circled around his mate, worried.  
  
"Artemis- you should be able to feel this- why can't you-"  
  
"Ahh!" He suddenly grasped his forehead with his forepaws. "Dang right I can feel it now. Why couldn't I feel Mercury when she awoke?"  
  
"We'll never know. All I know right now is that we don't have much time. We have to take Miyako right now and try to figure out where and who is in trouble. If we lose a senshi this time, there's no guarantee that they'll be reborn as a senshi."  
  
"Is there time to wake the Queen?" Artemis asked, standing on all fours, alert. He was already running towards the door, Luna right beside him.  
  
"No time.. it's fading with every step that we take. You grab Miyako.. I'll get Hotaru. As a last resort, we'll have to make the senshi reborn again, much as I hate to think of it."  
  
"Got ya. See you soon, love."  
  
Luna licked his cheek and ran off towards the Princess of Saturn's quarters. Time was running out.  
  
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Rhia stepped downward, the last obstacle of getting out of the house finally defeated. Her mother hadn't awakened yet. Thank God. Just what she'd say to her mother if she awoke and found her daughter sneaking out of the house with a blue wand that looked like something out of a cosplay costume. She didn't want to think about that right now.  
  
She took out one of her silver v-chips. These things were expensive, and Rhia had only vowed to use one in an extreme emergency. Well, if this wasn't an emergency, she didn't know what was. Rhia transferred the silver cube from her left to right hand, then delicately placed it into the home security grid. She then placed her thumb onto the square.  
  
No record would exist of someone ever leaving their living quarters. However, no one else could get in except for the person whose thumbprint was imbedded chemically into the pad. Anyone else that tried to break in.. would be in for an electric shock of their life. Not lethal.. but they wouldn't be walking or talking for at least a day.  
  
Too bad these only lasted for eight hours. Rhia would have liked to have been deep in the underground hackers' circle sometimes. They had access to these constantly. But, being the daughter of the Crystal Palace Architect sometimes did have its drawbacks.  
  
The chip installed, Rhia shut the door behind her as she exited their living quarters. She grabbed the wand tightly to her chest, then closed her eyes.  
  
"Ami.. I need your help. I need to find out where Jupiter is."  
  
Rhia felt a watery presence behind her, and she suddenly saw a thin blue light emit from the sapphire jewel of her transformation wand. When she opened her eyes, the light was not there. But she could feel the cool line all around her, its watery presence soothing.  
  
Running towards where the line pointed, the night seemed to engulf her vision. Rhia switched her goggles to nightvision mode. She cantered into the night, her heart stirring with things she never knew before.  
  
A sister. A sister awaited her. Not a sister in blood, or by marriage. But one by soul- one that right now, was in a great deal of danger of losing that soul that would have bound itself so closely to her own.  
  
Finally, a human form began to take shape in her dark night vision. She switched her vision to normal and took off her goggles, looking at the scene before her. A young woman, perhaps fifteen or sixteen by the olden times, lay cornered by a hideous beast.  
  
The beast appeared human, but it could not be from the snarling sounds that came from its throat. Darkened black wings thrust themselves out from the creature's grotesque back, their leathery forms ripped and torn. When it turned to look at Rhia, she shuddered involuntarily.  
  
The creature had red eyes with a face that churned her stomach. Chunks of flesh had been torn from its nose, and underneath its eyes were flesh bits that sank, revealing bits of bone that were course and worn. Rhia sank away from the creature, but the creature seemed to forget its former prey, and followed her.  
  
"Please.. help.. me.." a voice cried out from the corner. Rhia saw the young woman on the ground. She'd been badly hurt, and blood was falling from the side of her neck. Her light brown curls were matted from the blood that she'd already shed. Her blue eyes were hardly recognizable, their sides bruised.  
  
"What can I do.?" Rhia thought out loud as the creature advanced.  
  
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Luna and Artemis ran alongside the red haired Miyako, their hearts racing as they tracked the mysterious senshi energy that they could sense. Luna looked up at the woman. She'd changed so much from the poor child they'd freed from Beryl's spell.  
  
Her hair was bound into a long braid that swept along every time she took a long stride. Luna smiled as they bounded along. This would ease every doubt the woman had in her subconscious that she had been responsible for all the trouble caused a thousand years earlier.  
  
Hotaru ran along the side of the red-haired woman, her steps absolute and concrete. There was neither wasted look nor step in her run towards the battle; years of guarding her Queen with absolute consistency had taught her vigilance.  
  
She stopped, and looked to her right. Nodding to the Mau and Miyako, she turned, the feline aliens turning along with her. Suddenly, the sight of Rhia, a monster, and a young brown-haired girl who was severely beaten came into view. Luna gasped, staring at the beast and young Rhia.  
  
"Rhiana!"  
  
The violet-haired girl turned towards Miyako and the two advisors to the Queen. She had a scared look to her, clutching her transformation wand close to her breast. Luna gasped.  
  
"Rhianna, what are you doing here?" Luna called out. Artemis stood right next to her, Miyako grabbing her heart in fear.  
  
"We've got to get out of here, Miss Rhiana! Can you.. reach the girl? We can make a run for it- Hotaru, you must transform!" Artemis said, and Hotaru grasped a wand behind her back.  
  
Just as the raven haired woman was about to start her transformation, a tentacle shot out and grabbed her arm. Hotaru grimaced, then tried to twist out of the creature's grip. She finally managed to sidestep out of its grasp, but her wand was lost to her, spinning away from her arm and towards a rain gutter in the alley.  
  
"No-" she whispered, and watched as the creature seemed to grow in size. Unless she could reach her wand, there was no way that all of them could survive this. She looked at Miyako, the woman's purple eyes wide with fear. There was no way she could do this on her own.  
  
"Miyako, Luna, Artemis- get back to the palace. Tell the others I need their assistance immediately."  
  
"But Hotaru-" Miyako started, but the older woman silenced her, and pointed towards the palace.  
  
"I can be reborn once I may reach my transformation wand. I can even hold my own right now somewhat.. but I cannot have non-senshi around when I do it. Get the others, now!"  
  
Miyako ran towards the palace, the two royal advisors hot on her tail. Hotaru smiled grimly. Luna and Artemis had to have known that she was bluffing. But they had to get Miyako out of here. If they didn't. there would be no way that the others would know everything that they had seen. Sometimes, a cat's eye view missed things.  
  
Hotaru looked at the younger Rhia who stood with the monster advancing towards her. She looked so brave, and yet so afraid. How much she was like Ami, she must never realize. If she did.. it might mess up her entire self-being.  
  
"Rhia- your name is Rhia, correct? Can you reach.. my transformation wand?" She asked the young girl. There was no way she would ask the young girl to fight this monster. She had no idea what she'd be up against.  
  
"I.. I can't reach it," Rhia answered, seeing the raven-haired woman's wand lying near the gutter, just in the reach of where the monster was. She shut her eyes and felt the wand with her finger tips. Ami's spirit seemed to shake its head at her.  
  
"No, there's no way I can reach it," she said, her voice full of fear. She looked at the short-haired woman. She then saw the beaten young girl still in the corner. She smiled grimly.  
  
"You need to take the girl and leave.. I'll stay here and distract it.. hopefully your friends will arrive soon.." she said, but inside herself, she could hear the song of Mercury crying out to be released. She had to do something.  
  
"No, I can't do that-" Hotaru started, but then she noticed the determined look in Rhia's eyes.. how well she remembered that look. And how much she feared it at this time. This girl could not be ready for this..  
  
"I must. Take her and leave!" Rhia said, and she held out her wand before herself, feeling the flow of the waters running through her veins. Something was calling out to her, something she could not deny, just as she could not deny herself.  
  
Hotaru watched as the young girl raised her wand in the air. A new era was about to be born.. but was this girl ready for the responsibility?  
  
"Neo Mercury Star Power!"  
  
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(to be continued.. please review!) 


	3. Dying Anew

A/N: I'm hoping this story will get more reviews.. I know that a few of you have been reading and not reviewing.. if you could Please (!!) Review I'd really appreciate it!! ^_^ Anyways, onto chapter three!! :D  
  
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"RHIA!" Hotaru yelled as the young girl raised her transformation wand into the air. There was no way in hell she knew what she was going to do.. There was no way in hell that Hotaru herself could be sure of Rhia's safety on this one.  
  
Rhia held her own, her small hand shaking as she continued to hold the wand up in the air. For a few seconds, it seemed that the world hushed around her; nothing happened except for the air hushing itself about her slender form.  
  
Then the song of Mercury burst out into the night, basking in a deep crescendo from Rhia, its focal point. Somehow the small hand that grasped the transformation wand opened up, letting light radiate from every space between her fingers. Her fingernails shimmered with sapphire light, and a bright light eclipsed her form.  
  
Hotaru held her hand in front of her face, trying to see through the radiant light. Her purple eyes widened in disbelief when she saw the transformation occur about the young woman.  
  
Rhia held her forehead up to the sky, her eyes shut in what looked like a peaceful expression. A blue sapphire gleamed in the middle of her head, shining with a million different hues of blue. Her neck arched in a supple curve, displaying a dark blue choker that held a crystal star in the center.  
  
Her fuku shimmered with navy blue, the edges of each fold lined with silver silken material. Her knees suddenly became enfolded with sapphire boots, outlined with the richest carats of silver. Rhia's hands suddenly held themselves out into the air, and were encased with silver gloves with rich sapphire silken armbands.  
  
As she twirled in the silver and sapphire light, Hotaru's breath was taken away from her. Sailor Mercury had held a shimmer all of her own, and in this next life, her brilliance seemed to be refined, remodeled into an elegant crystal all of her own.  
  
Finishing the transformation, Rhia disappeared into another plane of existence, her soul merging with the one that now stood before the demon. Silver bows hung upon her bosom and the back of her fuku skirt. Hotaru looked in awe at the newly formed senshi.  
  
"Are you all right?" She asked Hotaru as the young woman stood nearby. The senshi of death and rebirth nodded, then smiled.  
  
"Are you?"  
  
"Certainly. But I could use some help. This is my first awakening, you realize-" and with that, the blue senshi kicked a low blow to Hotaru's transformation wand, allowing it to fly up into her hand. Hotaru smiled, then gave a look of inquiry.  
  
"Hadn't you better introduce yourself, then?"  
  
"I suppose," the young woman said, smiling. She looked towards the demon and the smaller girl hiding behind it, and smiled.  
  
"Where there is no water, there is no life! I am the symbol of the planet Mercury, Neo Sailor Mercury! May all evil be quenched of their thirst!" She held out her hands towards the demon in a defensive block, glancing back towards Hotaru, who nodded.  
  
"Very well done. Allow me to join the party." She held out her hand with her transformation wand. "Eternal Saturn Power, Make-up!"  
  
In only a few seconds, Eternal Saturn stood by the younger senshi's side, her silence glaive in her hand. She looked at the violet-haired girl and smiled grimly. "I hope you're up to this- I do not wish to bring you back a second time."  
  
"I will do my best," the water senshi replied, then tapped her left cheek, where a holographic screen formed about her eyes. Then, she was taken aback and looked at Eternal Saturn.  
  
"How did I..?"  
  
"Instinct. Remember, you've been a senshi more than once." Saturn then jumped up and attacked the demon with the glaive, calling its attention away from the young girl. It turned slowly, its tentacles letting go of the girl, who fell to the ground, nearly unconscious.  
  
"How do I attack??" Neo Mercury yelled, looking at the other senshi run around, luring the creature away from the girl, inch by inch. "I want to help, but I don't have a weapon!"  
  
"Yes.. you do.." The senshi of silence yelled, continuing her time- consuming effort. "You.. have your intellect.. and your instincts.. It'd be great if you could do something.. anytime now.." Hotaru said, looking over at the younger woman. "I can't attack him with my attack.. it's only a last resort."  
  
"Try my intellect.." Neo Mercury looked about herself with the holographic interface still in front of her eyes. She focused her eyes, then, looking at her hands, she analyzed them for the first time.  
  
"Hold them out like this?" she said aloud, and realized that the feeling was natural. She smiled and continued, then, giving into the instincts of her heart. She raised her hands above her head and recalled something from deep within her.  
  
A ray of water pressed itself away from the smaller framed woman, and she formed her hands into natural feeling formations, realizing that she could control the water as it escaped from her hands. Neo Mercury reached somewhere into herself, finding the spark that still contained Rhia and grasped at it.  
  
Somewhere within her, a ball of energy burst.  
  
"Water Typhoon!" She yelled, and watched with half-shut eyes as the water she'd been controlling suddenly jerked into itself, creating a tunnel that wrapped around the demon's body. Controlling the unpredictable flow of the water, it lifted the demon upward, finally settling upon its windpipe.  
  
The strength of the water pressed hard on its throat, and Neo Mercury's eyes widened with shock as she watched the demon suffer. Tears suddenly jolted down her face as the face of the demon began to intermingle with a young redheaded girl's.  
  
"What?" Saturn said in shock, watching the change. She looked down at Neo Mercury, who was losing control of her attack.  
  
"I.. I can't.." The water then dissolved from its strong, semi-solid form, and fell into its droplets onto the sidewalk. It was then that the demon fell to the ground, and Saturn noticed that there was a thorn sticking out of the back of its head.  
  
Thinking quickly, Saturn used her silence glaive, attaching it to the end of the thorn. The demon growled, but Saturn kept pulling, her efforts seeming in vain. Suddenly there was more pulling power at the end of the glaive handle, and noticed that Neo Mercury was pulling behind her.  
  
"We have to save her!" the younger woman yelled.  
  
Finally, the thorn came out, revealing a dark red flower that died as soon as it hit the pavement. The demon morphed into a small, redheaded young girl, who laid on the pavement, her breathing shallow.  
  
Eternal Saturn lay down her glaive, then helped a newly-fallen Neo Mercury up onto her feet. She looked in the corner to where the brown haired girl still sat in fear. She looked once at the redheaded girl, once at Saturn and Mercury, then stood up shakily. The brunette ran into the alleyway, before either senshi could stop her, leaving them alone with the small girl still lying in the alley.  
  
Neo Mercury looked at Eternal Saturn, who shook her head.  
  
"It's not worth it. If that was Jupiter, it doesn't matter. We'll find her eventually. We just need to take this girl home and clean her up." She walked over to where the girl lay, face down, on the pavement.  
  
Her clothes were ragged and cut up. A couple of purple bruises ran up and down her arms. She wore a simple white dress, although it was dirtied with mud stains and dried blood. Detransforming, Hotaru stood and looked at the girl, then looked at Neo Mercury.  
  
Neo Mercury detransformed, leaving Rhia alone with Hotaru and the unconscious girl. Rhia looked at Hotaru.  
  
"Is she going to be okay?"  
  
"Yeah.. if we can get her to the medical area right away. I think it might be a good idea if she talks to Miyako when she recovers. She had a similar experience." She glanced down at the girl and lifted her off the ground. As she did, Hotaru gasped, then looked over at Rhiana.  
  
"I think we may have found out why Jupiter was slipping into darkness," she whispered, and Rhia came over, holding her arms close to her, slightly afraid of the events that had occurred. She gasped as well at what she saw.  
  
A greenish light lit itself up from the young girl's forehead. The symbol of Jupiter pronounced itself on her head. Rhiana looked at Hotaru. "What.. does this symbol mean what I think it means?"  
  
"Yes it does," Hotaru said, glancing between Rhia and the young girl. "It means that another one of us was nearly possessed. It means that the Queen is in more trouble than I can possibly imagine."  
  
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"What's going on, Hotaru?" Hakura asked as the younger senshi walked brusquely through the palace. The violet-eyed woman still held the redheaded girl in her arms as she continued her journey through the palace.  
  
Hakura continued to follow her. "Come on, we get a serious warning from Luna, Artemis, and Miyako, and you expect us not to ask questions? We were nearly on our way out to help you-" Rhiana walked on Hotaru's other side, where the young girl's head was propped up by the older woman's hand.  
  
A hand was suddenly placed on Rhiana's shoulder, and she turned. A highly agitated Hakura stood in front of her, although Rhia did not know this woman's name or title.  
  
"And who are you? What are you doing here? We only got word that there was a senshi in trouble of falling into darkness, and that-"  
  
"I am Rhiana Mizunan, daughter of the Crystal Tokyo Architect. I am also the new hope of the planet Mercury, Neo Sailor Mercury. If you'll excuse me," she continued as she blew Hakura off to follow Hotaru and the young woman, "I have a fellow senshi to watch over, who's badly hurt."  
  
With that, she strode off, trying to catch up with Hotaru. Hakura stood in shock for a moment, then stood back on her haunches, smiling. Michiru ran out of a nearby hallway and stood with her love. She smiled at Hakura.  
  
"Blow you off, did she?"  
  
Hakura grinned. "The girl's got guts. She looks very much the same, save for the hair. She's got a good heart, too. I'd say she'll fit in very well." She glanced downward at the floor for a moment. "Although I don't know how the small senshi they found is doing.. it looks like she was in pretty bad shape."  
  
"We'd better get the Queen and Setsuna, then." Michuru enclosed her hand around Hakura's. "I can't believe this sometimes.. two senshi in one night found.. something must be beginning that we don't know about."  
  
"I hope not, my love," Hakura said, turning towards the Queen's Imperial Room. "I hope not. I've grown lethargic in all these times of peace. I don't know if I'd be up to some fighting, seeing how unenergetic I might be."  
  
"Oh, I don't know about that," replied Michiru as they headed off towards their Queen. "You seemed pretty energetic last night.."  
  
The duo walked away, urgent news on their minds, as a life hung in the balance.  
  
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"Come on." Hotaru yelled exasperatedly at the nearly-lifeless body that laid itself in front of her. She'd turned on the medical system completely, but it seemed that there was a limit to how much could be done for the body when the soul wouldn't cooperate.  
  
"Do you know anything about medicine, Rhiana?" Hotaru yelled at the younger woman, who was trying her best to get the medical technology to respond to her. She shook her head at Hotaru, saddened by this.  
  
Ami had been the medical expert, not herself.  
  
"Damn.. we're losing her-" Hotaru said, almost under her breath. The girl's life signs were dropping quickly. Whatever that thorny flower had done to her, it was nearly killing her now.  
  
Rhia looked down at the young girl. She couldn't be more than 650 years old- thirteen or fourteen by the old age scale. It was so sad to see such a young person in trouble of losing their life.  
  
A flash of light distracted her, and she looked up to see Eternal Saturn standing before her. Rhia ran over to where the girl lay, and she threw her hands over the young woman.  
  
"No.. I won't let you! I can save her, I promise-" she said, seeing Saturn hold her glaive beside her as she stood next to Rhia and the unnamed girl. Saturn gave her a strange glance.  
  
"I'm not going to give her another new life unless we can't save her now. And unless you do something soon, we're going to lose her. I don't know how to operate this equipment, and the doctorate staff isn't in at this hour of the night- we don't usually get injuries like this anymore!"  
  
Rhia had tears in her eyes at this point. "But her life's barely begun as it is- There's no way I'm going to allow her to give up on this life!" As she uttered those words, the symbol of Mercury lit up on her forehead, sparkling a generous sapphire. The young girl's forehead responded, glowing gently at first, then strongly, with the symbol of Jupiter.  
  
"What.." Hotaru questioned for a moment, then let her glaive sit on the ground, walking over to where the two were, and holding Rhia's hand. Rhia glanced up to see a smiling Saturn.  
  
"If you don't give up on her, I won't," the senshi of silence responded. She smiled gently. "I believe we can save this girl."  
  
"We're going to help, too," said a voice coming from the far off doorway. Rhia turned to see the same blonde woman she'd encountered earlier, along with three other women. The black cat Luna, as well as two other cats, joined them. The red-headed female with the long braid also stood behind them, smiling.  
  
Rhia stood, not knowing what to say to these newly- arrived people. Suddenly, symbols presented themselves on all of the foreheads present, save for the woman Miyako's. A gust of wind passed by the violet-haired woman's vision, and when it slowed itself, more sailor senshi stood before her.  
  
Rhiana gasped, but was brought back into the present whenever Luna jumped onto the girl's shoulder.  
  
"Come on, Mercury, we've got to hurry if we're to save her!" Luna said in her ear, and Rhia nodded, holding her transformation wand behind her back.  
  
"Neo Mercury Star Power!"  
  
The transformation seemed to take an eternity, but when Neo Mercury opened her eyes, she could tell that it had only been milliseconds to their eyes. She nodded and joined hands with the other senshi, Neo Serenity at the head of the young girl's bed.  
  
"Concentrate," the short-haired woman said to her, holding her hand quite tightly. She then closed her eyes in concentration, not looking at the rest of the senshi. Taking a leap of faith, Neo Mercury closed her eyes and concentrated with all her might on the well-being of this innocent child that laid before her.  
  
A shimmering of dark blue hue enveloped her as she concentrated. Similar lights of golden and aqua colors shone around the nearby senshi of Uranus and Neptune. Dark violet and green covered Saturn and Pluto. Above them all, a crystalline pink engulfed the entire gathering, trying to lure out the small emerald light that was pulsating in the center.  
  
Neo Serenity could feel the power surrounding her, its gentle warmth holding her like a baby in the womb. Using the powers given to her, she let them unite within her, filling herself with their beauty and might. It was then that the Neo Queen held out her own Crystal, letting it float before her.  
  
Opening her eyes, she guided the crystal with her mind to where it hung directly above the failing Jupiter's. The crystal then exploded with light, making the young girl float above her bed.  
  
Just then, the redheaded child's chest began to rise and fall into the patterns of breathing, weaving its natural magic into the other parts of her mind. She levitated for a few moments more, then fell back onto the hospital bed, her injuries healed and her body resting after such an experience.  
  
Pluto opened her eyes and smiled at the others. "We smote that demon, I am sure. How's she doing, Saturn?"  
  
The raven haired woman smiled, stroking a red haired lock as the girl continued to dream peacefully on the bed. "I think she'll be perfectly all right, after some bed rest. After all, being possessed takes a lot out of a child. I should know," she whispered as an afterthought, staring into space.  
  
Shaking her head to clear thoughts of old ghosts, Saturn de- transformed, her fuku and senshi outfit falling off her as droplets of sweat might. The rest of the senshi did likewise, revealing the women who had been standing idle earlier, and a few others as well.  
  
Neo Mercury concentrated on her normal self, and smiled when she realized that she'd turned back to normal. It had been easier, somehow, this time. She smiled, looking at the girl that had been Hotaru's point of concentration a small while ago.  
  
"Rhiana-" Luna said, placing a paw on the violet-haired girl's arm, "we should be going now. We'll find out the new Jupiter's name whenever she awakens. Until then, we have business to discuss. Such as, how are we going to discuss this with your family, your new living arrangements-"  
  
"Wait a millisec here. New living arrangements?" Rhia looked from Hotaru to Luna, then did a double take. "But I'm not old enough- I still have ten years before I'm considered an adult-"  
  
"If you haven't noticed, some things are changing," the woman known as Neo Queen said. Rhia startled, as she hadn't noticed the Queen had strode around the circumstances of the infirmary.  
  
"The freedoms of age are changing. People are starting to take less and less time to become adults, but they live just as long. Childhood is being squandered by time so that productive adults can come into their inheritance sooner. This girl, for example. I know that she looks about the age of 650 or so. But what if I were to tell you that she was most likely the age of 500?"  
  
"What?" Rhiana asked.  
  
"The channels of time are changing," spoke up the emerald haired woman. "I can feel it every time I guard the Gate. Something is changing the fabric of space and time. I can only hope that it is for the better that it is being changed, and not for the worse."  
  
"I.. I don't understand what's going on here," Rhiana said, letting one of her hands touch her forehead gently. She closed her eyes, her mind spinning.  
  
"Let's not speak tonight," the Queen said gently. "Let's wait until the morning, when things are clearer. It is futile to explain anything in detail when our bodies are yearning for sleep. Hotaru, I trust you can help her find somewhere to stay for the night."  
  
With that, the pink-haired Queen walked off towards the innards of the palace. Hotaru and the other women present watched her leave, then looked towards Rhiana, who had no idea what to do at the present time.  
  
"Come with me," Hotaru said, walking into the palace, but heading into another direction. She turned around whenever Rhiana failed to follow, her violet eyes flashing slightly at the younger woman. "Don't worry. We'll contact your mother in the morning."  
  
Looking from side to side, Rhiana followed the woman, unsure of where this new chapter in her life would take her. She could only hope that things would become clearer in the morning.  
  
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"Rhia?" Hikari Mizunan pushed open her daughter's door. "Rhiana?" No one seemed to be present in the near-adult's room. She looked and saw the window open, her daughter's curtains fluttering in the wind.  
  
"Where are you?" Tears of worry started to form in the architect's eyes. She pulled covers away from her daughter's bed, to show all her daughter's equipment strewed beneath the covers. Hikari glanced over all the hardware that made up a great deal of her daughter's secret life.  
  
She sat down on the bed, and picked up Rhia's headgear set. She'd always been a withdrawn girl, smart, but definitely worthy of the label, 'does not play well with others.' It wasn't that she was unfriendly, she just preferred the company of machines, not that of the human being.  
  
Hikari slowly handled her daughter's headgear, then placed it over her own forehead. She opened her eyes towards the display, and was shocked at the complexity and originality of the formatting. Her daughter was more advanced in her computer technological abilities than she had previously thought.  
  
But it was the file that was opened on the main page of the computer that made Hikari Mizunan's eyes bulge from her head.  
  
"Mercury.exe? What in the world?"  
  
Picking up her daughter's hand controller, Hikari slipped it on and chose to execute the program, opening the file with the stroke of one fingertip. The information wasn't what worried Ms. Mizunan, it was the intensity with which it seemed her daughter had been searching this information. For what reason would Rhiana need information on the original sailor senshi?  
  
Strange things began to click into place in the woman's mind. Hideki had remarked last night how much Rhiana reminded him of a princess- between how she carried herself in a regal manner, how she constantly bettered herself.  
  
Being the Crystal Tokyo Architect, one could sometimes pick up on whisperings within the great palace. The Neo Star Queen had been remarking lately in the past couple of decades about 'reborn senshi' and the 'power of a new moon'. Somehow the senshi killed in Demon Beryl's attack over a thousand years before had survived to be reborn.  
  
But what could all that mean to Rhiana, unless.. unless she suspected herself to be..? No, it just wasn't possible. Rhiana couldn't be a reborn sailor senshi. She wasn't born for that kind of life- full of battles, hardship, and pain.  
  
Hikari took off the visual headset. She had to find Rhiana and find out what was going on. If she didn't, Hikari might worry to death about her daughter. She was 990 years old- nearly an adult, but still not so in her mother's eye, who was over 1400 years her senior. If only Takeru hadn't died.. perhaps Rhia would have been more stable with a father.  
  
"Rhiana.. please be safe.." she said aloud, tears forming in the corners of her delicate eyes. It was then that Hikari heard someone at her front door. She stood up, and walked toward their apartment's doorway.  
  
Scratching, then a small laser-like sound could be heard outside, catching the woman's attention. Ms. Mizunan quickly grabbed a nearby flower vase, and stood behind the door. The noise then was silenced, and the door opened with a click. Hikari stood ready.  
  
"Mom?" Rhiana asked her mother, giving her an odd look. The violet- haired teenage female was standing in the doorway, small keyboard handset in her left hand. A melted plastic square lay in her right hand.  
  
"Rhia! Where have you been? You've given me quite a-"  
  
Ms. Mizunan stopped short when she noticed the presence of a shorter woman with medium raven hair behind her daughter. The woman smiled, and bowed to Ms. Mizunan.  
  
"Ms. Mizunan, I am honored to meet you. I am Tomoe Hotaru, Hotaru to my close friends and associates."  
  
"Uh.. Rhiana? What is the Neo Queen's Guardian senshi doing here with you?" The older woman gave her daughter a sideways glance. Realizing that the woman was still there, she blushed and bowed to her guest.  
  
"Come in! I am honored to have you here, Miss Hotaru. Um.. I'm afraid you've caught me at a bad time, my daughter's and my apartment is not quite cleaned up to the status for royalty.."  
  
"Not a problem, Ms. Mizunan. Trust me, my own flat is not as clean as yours is right now. Saturn is known as the planet of destruction for other reasons than life.. My flat is a disaster area," she smiled gently, and walked into the room and sat down on a nearby couch.  
  
Rhiana made quick to get upstairs and away from where her mother and Miss Hotaru were, but her mother was quicker, placing an arm in front of her daughter in the doorway.  
  
"And where do you think you're going, Rhia? I want an explanation before you go rushing off to your room again!"  
  
"Don't worry about her, Ms. Mizunan, Rhia's just going to get cleaned up. I'm afraid she wasn't able to last night at the palace- we had too much going on."  
  
Hikari looked between the two. "You were at the palace last night, Rhia.. why?"  
  
"Mom, I can explain-"  
  
"I'll explain, Rhiana. Your mother's going to want a full explanation as to why you were out of her house and in the palace last night. And I don't quite blame her. If I had a daughter of my own-" Hotaru stopped short a minute, then continued. "But I always say explanations first, ramblings after. Shall I begin?"  
  
"Certainly. But Rhiana, I want you to stay here for this." Hikari sat in a nearby chair, facing Hotaru. She pulled Rhia to a seat right next to her. Rhiana paled.  
  
"Ms. Mizunan, please do not be upset with your daughter. She is actually a very important person right at the moment." Hotaru sat up straighter in her chair. "Your daughter, as of this moment, has been recruited as Crystal Tokyo's official Computer Designer."  
  
Hikari sat up in her chair, in shock. "My daughter.. is the official Computer Designer of all Crystal Tokyo?"  
  
Hotaru nodded. "Of the Palace's computer system, to be completely precise. Your daughter has been watched for the past two hundred years by our talent agents, and has been found to be of the exact qualities needed for this prestigious position. You may have known that, for some time, we have been in need of an apprentice for Yamagata Taichi. Rhiana has been picked for that position."  
  
"That's.. that's wonderful- but she isn't even an adult yet!" Hikari pointed out.  
  
Hotaru waved one finger, nearly mockingly. "That's why she will only be an apprentice for right now. The last ten years of her near-adulthood will be spent learning the palace's computer systems."  
  
"See, Mom! Nothing bad, I was going to tell you, but you had to get all worried.. Well, I'll be upstairs, getting cleaned up-" Rhia tried to sneak away, but was pulled back into her seat by her mother.  
  
"Wait a second, here, Rhia- this doesn't explain why you were out last night."  
  
The senshi of Mercury paled, the blood completely draining out of her face. She and Hotaru had created the elaborate myth just told to her mother so that she would be in the clear, but they hadn't prepared for her mother to ask questions.  
  
"She was fixing a computer glitch that Taichi couldn't handle by herself. Somebody tried to hack into the computer mainframe and destroy Crystal Tokyo's computer system. I figured, what better way to defeat a hacker, then to hire one?"  
  
"Hire one.. oh, I get it," Hikari said, looking at Rhiana with a sideways glance. "You were looking up that information on the sailor senshi so you would get noticed by the computer technicians at the palace, weren't you?"  
  
Her face still pale, Rhiana nodded. She didn't know how her mother had gotten ahold of that little piece of information, but it was easier to go with the flow. Freeing herself of her mother's hand, Rhia ran upstairs, leaving Hotaru and her mother alone.  
  
"You should be very proud of her. To come up so far at such a young age is amazing- especially to land a job at the palace- although I'm sure you know all about the dangers of getting a job there."  
  
Hikari laughed. "I know! And here I was being so silly. I was thinking that my daughter had unlocked some key from the past sailor senshi and became one herself.. oh, how foolish parents can sometimes be, you know?"  
  
Keeping herself from not paling as much as Rhiana had was not easy, Hotaru had to admit. "Don't worry yourself, Ms. Mizunan. Computer technology may sometimes be dangerous, but it's all virtual. Not like being a senshi.. which can be very dangerous, for those who serve the Queen."  
  
"You know, it's funny. The previous senshi all turned out to be different advisors to the Queen," Hikari whispered half-aloud. Then she smiled. "I'd love to see Taichi in a sailor fuku.."  
  
Hotaru smiled. Better to let the mother come to her own conclusions. Perhaps one day she could be trusted to know her daughter's secret. Until then.. Rhiana would have just as much fun as the original senshi had, keeping a double life. At least she had a cover. She'd heard some of Usagi's.. and they hadn't been very convincing. Usagi and having a job didn't fit in the same sentence.  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
"She looks so peaceful.." Michiru said, watching the red-haired girl's chest rise and fall. She appeared to be about thirteen years old by the old standards of time. Her small eyes were fluttering, obviously showing signs of REM sleep.  
  
"Peaceful now.. she wasn't peaceful a few hours ago," Hakura pointed out to her life mate. "I just hope; I pray that she doesn't remember what happened. Poor Miyako remembered every single detail from when Beryl had her under control. We don't need another child who needs years to be able to speak aloud."  
  
"Look- I think she's awakening.." Michiru went to the girl's side, anxious.  
  
The red head's eyes fluttered, then finally opened fully, their irises spectacularly speckled with green flecks, their primary color brown. She flicked her eyes back and forth to where Michiru and Hakura sat, their faces worn with concern.  
  
"Who.. who are you?" The girl asked, her face starting to pull itself into an expression of fright. "I don't know you.. you're not from the orphanage."  
  
Hakura gave Michiru a look. At least there'd be no parents to deal with in this case.. and perhaps this was the child that they'd been wishing for years that they wanted but could never have.  
  
"Don't worry," Michiru slightly cooed to the small girl. She slowly raised an arm to stroke the girl's hair, but the young one shirked away. When she looked closer, she noticed bruises near the sides of her head. Someone had mistreated this girl badly.  
  
Taking in a breath, Michiru continued, "Don't worry.. you're with friends now. You're in the Crystal Tokyo Palace." The girl sat up slowly and looked at Michiru. She opened her mouth a little, and grinned a tiny bit.  
  
"You mean.. I'll be safe here?"  
  
Hakura interjected after nodding. "Yes, you'll be safe. No one can harm you here- we've got the best security, and we will give you training so that you can defend yourself."  
  
The girl nodded, then chanced another question. "What about the little ones? I only got hit so they wouldn't be." She looked between the two women.  
  
"If you give us the information about where you lived, we'll take care of them," Michiru said, looking at Hakura. This girl was tougher than she previously thought. "We don't want you or another child to be hurt. This shouldn't be happening- we live in Crystal Tokyo-"  
  
The girl sighed. "It shouldn't, but it does. In the last few years, the man who started my orphanage went corrupt for some reason.. started to beat us into shape in order to be 'proper slaves' for rich houses. He'd sell the older ones who were already whipped in shape to rich houses. Most of the people adopted the children, but one or two actually used them as slaves.."  
  
"When did this corruption of Crystal Tokyo begin?" Hakura wondered aloud.  
  
"It doesn't matter," Michiru said, shaking her head to Hakura. "We'll take care of all of that." Hakura nodded back. They didn't want to upset this girl more than they had to. "We actually would like to discuss last night."  
  
"Last night?"  
  
"Yes," Hakura smiled, then took on a more serious tone. "Do you remember last night at all? How we met?"  
  
"Huh?" The girl queried, shaking her head. "I don't remember anything except going to bed at the orphanage.. then waking up here. What day is it? What happened?"  
  
"Do you remember anything out of the ordinary happening to you in the last couple nights?" Hakura asked again. "It may be important, no matter how small you think the detail."  
  
The child thought a moment, nodded her head, then spoke. "The only strange thing I can remember is finding that jewel on the sidewalk." She smiled. "I was going to use it to buy freedom for myself and two of the little ones. I figured if we were free, we could slowly work into buying out the entire orphanage."  
  
Hakura started. "Do you remember what this jewel looked like?"  
  
She smiled, then held a finger to her small lips. "It was blood red, but it had this weird greenish glow inside. I thought it was cool."  
  
Michiru traded a glance with Hakura, then hid her panicked expression behind a gentle smile. "Thank you for that information, little one. There's only one last thing I need to ask.. and I hope you'll answer."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
The youngest woman there giggled, like the young teenager she was, and spoke.  
  
"It's Yumi. Yumi Mokoni."  
  
"It's nice to meet you, Yumi," Hakura said, and smiled, although her mind was running in circles. Between orphanages going to pot in the Crystal Kingdom and a possible new threat to the Queen, she was extremely worried.  
  
She only hoped that things wouldn't escalate like some of their former battles had. There was too much to lose this time if something had decided to possess citizens of their Crystal Kingdom. They had to find the new senshi, and soon.  
  
If they didn't.. Hakura could only guess what could happen to Earth. And none of her thoughts were good ones.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
(to be continued.. please r&r) 


	4. Youthful Addition

Sometimes the simplest task is the most daunting, Rhianna thought to herself as she packed her belongings into the single suitcase she had. Should she take her vid collection? Her small robotics set?  
  
The violet-haired girl shook her head. Too many choices. Well. if she was going to be at least helping in some manner with the Crystal Palace's computer systems, she should bring her headset computer, at least. Pulling the piece of technology off a shelf, she shoved it into the silver suitcase on her bed.  
  
Clothes, clothes- Rhiana pressed a button near her, allowing her drawers to open in her bureau. Pants, shirts, underthings. Rhianna shoved them all into the suitcase, finally closing the baggage holder with a sharp click. Downstairs, she could hear faint whispers of Hotaru and her mother's conversation.  
  
".she live?"  
  
".palace. Don't worry about it. We already have made arrangements."  
  
Rhianna smiled at the nearly-bare surroundings of her room. For nearly a millennium, she'd grown up in these walls. Now it was time to move onward into adulthood. to move onward into being a senshi for the Neo Star Queen Serenity.  
  
Smiling, she pulled her suitcase off her bed and exited her room, closing the door behind her on both her childhood and her old room. Rhianna made her way down the nearby staircase towards where Miss Hotaru and her mother were still speaking.  
  
"That was quick," Hotaru said, surveying the girl. "Didn't have much to pack, I take it?"  
  
"I- she has enough clothes and everything, if that's what you're-" Mrs. Mizunan started.  
  
"Everything that I need's in here," Rhianna smiled. "All my clothes, and a few computer gadgets that I couldn't bear to leave behind. Nothing else really matters- I'm assuming that the Palace will provide what I didn't bring, correct?"  
  
Hotaru grinned. "You'd be correct, Miss Mizunan." The raven-haired woman turned and smiled at Rhianna's mother. "That's one smart girl you've raised into our service, Mizunan-san. It is almost a pity that she has no siblings- then we could count on more people worthy to serve our Queen!"  
  
"Please- call me Hikari," the eldest woman said, grinning. "And as for other siblings. Rhianna's all I have. I never had any other children after my husband died years ago."  
  
Hotaru bowed to the woman. "I apologize for your loss."  
  
"Oh, please, don't-" Hikari started, then blushed as the elder woman stood up from her bow. "It's just that. I've been living with Rhianna here by myself for almost a millennium now, and having her out of the house is going to feel so odd."  
  
"Don't worry, mom," Rhianna stated, smiling. "We'll see each other at work- I'm sure I'll bump into you, being the official Computer Designer and all."  
  
"I know. And we'll see each other different times too, I just. it's never easy for a parent to let a child go, you know?" Hikari enveloped her daughter into a strong hug and Rhianna returned the embrace back, then let go to face her mother.  
  
"Well. I've got to go."  
  
"Take care, Rhia," her mother said, planting a final kiss on her daughter's forehead. Hotaru stood by the door waiting, and Rhianna joined her, turning to smile at her mother one last time before exiting the premises. Rhainna closed the door to her former home behind her, then let out a long breath she didn't even realize she'd been holding.  
  
"From what I gather. overwhelming? Overprotective?"  
  
"Pretty damn close," Rhianna said, smiling at the other senshi. "I really owe you and the Neo Star Queen for this- "  
  
"Think of it as already paid," Hotaru smiled, a bittersweet grin. "You came to us, and that's what's important." The senshi of silence held out her hand towards the transport that the two had arrived in, opening the door for Rhianna. She walked around to the other side and got in herself, typing in the commands that would take the duo back to the palace.  
  
"What. what was she like, Hotaru? Ami, I mean. am I really like her?"  
  
A pregnant pause was the raven-haired woman's first response, then a clearing of the throat. "Ami was. in some ways very much like you, but that's to be expected, since you are her reincarnation. In other ways, you're much different than she."  
  
"Like.?"  
  
"Like your heart- both you and she have the ability to defend innocents, no matter if you know them or not- you were ready to lay down your life for someone you barely knew whenever Jupiter was failing- that's something Ami would have done."  
  
"I see."  
  
"There's actually not a lot different between you two, now that I think about it. Besides the hair color, the only thing I could say is different between you and her is the amount of spunkiness you seem to have. You seem very self-assured and strong. Ami was less confident."  
  
"Is that why the senshi of Uranus gave me a strange look whenever I blew her off in the little one's favor? In the girl that's Sailor Jupiter?"  
  
Hotaru laughed. "No, not exactly. Hakura's never been known for her ability to play well with others. You probably just ruffled her feathers. I wouldn't worry about it. Once she gets to know you, the whole incident will probably seem like it never happened. It takes a while for Hakura to trust someone."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes, really. Now myself. I trust you, so don't fret. You've already proven yourself in battle, remember?"  
  
"So, will I have to prove myself in battle for the others to trust me as well?"  
  
"I wouldn't worry about it," Hotaru said, giving the younger woman a small smile. "Just give everyone some time to get to know you. I'm sure everything will be all right then."  
  
"That's nice," Rhianna said, smiling and looking out the window. "That's nice."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"So all the orphanages are like this?" Neo Star Queen Serenity asked her counselors, the guardians of Uranus and Neptune. The two women nodded, their blonde and aqua hair bobbing as they did.  
  
"At least, that's what Mokono told us," Hakura said, looking towards the pink-haired queen. "The jewel she'd found was her hope of rescuing herself and a few of the other orphanage children from a life of what could be considered as slavery."  
  
"Slavery?" Usagi said, her pink eyes nearly popping out of her head. "Slavery. in my kingdom?"  
  
"My queen, there are many things that even the best of royalty or governments cannot completely purge," Miyako said, sitting at the Queen's side. "After all, a thousand years ago, your mother-" The red-haired woman stopped, placing a thumb to her chin and staying silent. Michiru looked up at the woman, a heart-sickened expression on her face. She took up the reins from Miyako.  
  
"Don't blame yourself, Usagi-chan. As Miyako was trying to say, it can happen to the best of rulers. All we can do for right now is try and fix the mistakes that apparently reside in our city."  
  
"Not to draw your attention away from the orphanage crisis, but what should we do with the information that Yumi gave us?" Hakura said. "She picked up a red jewel and was possessed by its very touch. I'd say that reeks of a new enemy. Specifically, one that is apparently targeting the newly reborn senshi."  
  
"So you think it was purposely done, somehow?" Usagi asked.  
  
"I would not doubt it, my Queen," a emerald-haired woman stated, walking into the room. "The fact that the child found the jewel placed neatly in the middle of a sidewalk proves my point exactly."  
  
"Setsuna.?" Miyako started.  
  
"I think I may be right, but perhaps the best ones to ask would be either Hotaru or Yumi herself. Hotaru's always been good with these sort of questions, and Yumi herself can probably tell you anything that'll fill in the gaps."  
  
"What are the living arrangements for Miss Mokono?" Usagi asked, standing up, her pink hair falling behind her as she did.  
  
"Well," Michiru looked over towards Hakura, the shorter-haired woman looking away and blushing slightly. "Hakura and I were kind of hoping to perhaps. take her in, have her live with us. She is an orphan, after all, and Hakura and I, as you know, can't have children."  
  
"I think that's a wonderful idea," Setsuna said, smiling. "The little one seemed to take after you two very well whenever she woke up. And while it's true you can't bear your own child," the senshi of Pluto said, smiling, "I believe you helped me raise a certain senshi of silence quite well a few years back, and the idea of you helping to raise another one doesn't sound like a bad one."  
  
"It sounds good to me," Miyako smiled.  
  
"As well as to me," Usagi said. "Which is why I have already signed the royal order decreeing her your child from hereon after."  
  
"You-"  
  
"I am not the Queen for no reason," Usagi answered, her own pink eyes appearing to nearly brim with tears. "And I know you two will be excellent mothers." With that, the Queen walked away, Miyako and the others watching her pass.  
  
When the Neo Star Queen was out of hearing range, she looked at them.  
  
"I don't know what we're supposed to do with her," Setsuna said. "If it weren't for the fact that I know she needed to run the kingdom." the senshi closed her eyes. "She needs less stress in her life. I would pray that she would find someone in our galaxy to lean against. find someone to love."  
  
"You're one to talk," Hakura snorted unlady-like.  
  
"I have no time to take a lover," Setsuna retorted to the woman. "As the senshi of time, my duties come first, my pleasures later. And I'm afraid that the first take up all my time." She smiled. "Besides, being the senshi of time, I was made to never really be lonely. I have no qualms about my lifestyle."  
  
"The Queen, however." Miyako started, only to receive nods from the others.  
  
"She needs to find someone. She hasn't even tolerated the word 'marriage' since her debutante a millennium ago." Michiru said, then placed a finger to her lips. "Perhaps if she met someone in a less formal setting.?"  
  
"That sounds more promising," Hakura nodded.  
  
"Well, do we know anyone that might suit her highness?" Setsuna said, crossing her arms. "Or is all this talk merely idle chatter?"  
  
"Well." Miyako started, then stopped, holding out her hands to the guardian of time. "We've not exactly had time to do any searching."  
  
"Then perhaps we should start looking," Hakura said, thinking to herself. "The only problem is that none of us really know what Usagi's like behind the exterior she shows us. Even though she's our good friend, she still keeps up a wall. She wasn't like that when she was a child."  
  
"She wasn't parentless when she was a child," Miyako added quietly. All the women present winced, knowing how much that statement cost the red- haired woman.  
  
"Well, I think I can think of at least one person who hasn't been completely closed off from Usagi," Michiru said, smiling. "Her best friend. Hotaru."  
  
"Why didn't we think of it before?" Setsuna said, smiling. "That's perfect! Hotaru would know exactly what Usagi would like in a guy! And, while she's looking, she could take that girl Rhianna with her to search for more of the reborn senshi!"  
  
"Not to mention that the Rhianna girl can help Hotaru sort through the selections. Heaven knows that girl seems to have good taste in human character," Hakura said, smiling.  
  
"Since when do you think that girl has good taste in character?" Michiru asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Since the girl was more worried about little Yumi than if I was offended," Hakura smiled. "New Mercury is good in my book, and I think she'll be doubly good helping out Hotaru find the new senshi as well as finding Usagi someone she can talk to."  
  
"What's this? Has hard Hakura become soft?" Michiru queried.  
  
"Silence, you," Hakura said, kissing her wife on the lips. "That's not what you said last night."  
  
"You two are disgusting. Go and get your daughter, you overly sweet parents," Miyako said, shaking her head and walking off towards the palace innards. Setsuna looked at Michiru and Hakura, who had stopped kissing long enough to watch the redhead leave.  
  
"Usagi's not the only one who could use someone to talk to," Michiru said sadly as the girl walked away. She looked towards Setsuna. "Any chance of having Hotaru kill two birds with one stone?"  
  
"I'll talk to her," Setsuna said, smiling as the couple headed off to find their newly adopted daughter and give her the good news. She shook her head, smiling. Sometimes she was glad she was the senshi of time. Loneliness didn't affect her, thank God.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"You want us to WHAT?" Hotaru asked, an eyebrow raised.  
  
"Well, search for the newly reborn senshi, first off," Setsuna started.  
  
"That wasn't the part that I'm confused about," Hotaru said, crossing her arms. "And you know it, Setsuna. What was that second part again? About finding Usagi. a date?"  
  
"Well," Setsuna started, noticing that young Rhianna had her own eyebrows raised at the suggested statement. "A few of us were talking, and we considered it a good idea that Usagi get. someone to talk to, a companion. She's been alone for almost a millennium now, and she's been a good ruler, but."  
  
"But she needs someone besides her friends to talk to, to keep her warm at night?" Rhianna asked, smiling. Hotaru turned her head slightly to give the younger woman a look.  
  
"And just. how would you know what she means?"  
  
"My mother was alone for a long time after my father died," Rhianna said. "She'd be depressed for long periods of time- not that she'd show it to me outright. But, living alone with your mom- you notice things. She'd be strong for me, tell me to be a good child. but she'd never be happy with herself. And she couldn't talk about things to me, being that I was the only kid she'd had and I was still too young. so, when I was about seven fifty or so, I placed my mom's name and phone number into a young man's hand."  
  
"He happened to live approximately a block from where we lived- he was a writer, like my father had been. I thought they'd be a good match. So, he called her, not knowing where he'd gotten her number or name. Turns out they'd gone to school together when they'd been younger. They hit it off right away. and Hideki proposed to mom about a month ago."  
  
Rhianna looked at the two women and smiled. "So. I know a little bit of what it means to watch someone you love be all alone."  
  
Hotaru looked at the girl with renewed respect, then looked at Setsuna. "Well. I can understand why you're concerned about Usagi, but. why me?" The senshi of silence sighed, exasperated.  
  
"Because you happen to be the only one of us," Setsuna answered with a slight grin, "who happens to know Usagi inside and out, being her best friend and all. And so. you'd know about her taste in guys."  
  
"Hold on one minute, here," Hotaru said, giving Setsuna a pointed glare. "That doesn't mean I should find her a husband. I am the senshi of silence and Usagi's main protector. I am not about to resort to playing match- maker!"  
  
"If the Queen's stability is at stake, then you'll do it," a familiar blonde-haired woman said, smiling. Behind her, another woman with aqua hair crept. Rhianna looked at the face, placing it, then turned crimson once she recognized the woman as Hakura, senshi and guardian of the planet Uranus.  
  
"Um-" the violet-haired girl started.  
  
"Hey!" another voice bounced from the hallway, its tone chipper and youthful. Hakura blushed slightly as a small red-headed girl bounded around her and the aqua-haired woman and went to greet the taken-aback Rhianna.  
  
"Um. hello," the former hacker responded.  
  
"Hi!" The girl said, running up and giving Rhia a tackle hug.  
  
"Yumi," the aqua-haired woman said gently, and the child let go. She stepped back and looked up at Rhia, her complexion pink with excitement. She smiled at her, then jumped up, falling downward into a curtsy.  
  
"Hello! My name is Mokono Yumi!" The girl stood up and smiled at Rhianna. "You met me yesterday, remember? Or at least, mommies Hakura and Michiru said so."  
  
"Mommies Hakura and Michiru.?" Rhia started, then blushed when she realized that the two women were still standing in front of her. "Oh- I'm sorry." She bowed to the two women. "My name's Mizunan Rhianna. I didn't mean to blow you off the other day, Miss Hakura, but I was in a hurry to-" Suddenly the girl paused, looking down at the girl. "Mommies Hakura and Michiru? But I thought-"  
  
"We're her legal guardians, yes," Michiru smiled at Rhianna. "And don't worry about Hakura, Rhianna. She was just a little miffed because she hasn't been reprimanded by someone in ages. I'm Michiru, by the way. I'm also the senshi guardian of the planet Neptune."  
  
"And I'm the guardian of the planet Uranus." The blonde-haired woman held out her hand to the violet-haired hacker, who shook it hesitantly. She then smiled nervously.  
  
"So. Neptune, Uranus, Jupiter-" Rhianna pointed at the people, slightly embarrassed by the need to match face to planet, "Mercury, Saturn," she continued, pointing towards herself and Hotaru. She then looked at the green-haired woman before her. "I'm sorry, but I didn't get your name-"  
  
"Setsuna." The woman grinned with her red eyes and held out her hand, Rhianna grasping it with a gentle grip. "I also happen to be the senshi of Pluto."  
  
"Pluto," Rhianna smiled. "It's nice to make your acquaintance. Now, am I correct in assuming," she said, letting go of the woman's hand, "that we still have two senshi to locate?"  
  
"Doesn't beat around the bush, does she?" Hakura asked, raising an eyebrow towards her lover. Michiru smiled, squeezing Hakura around the waist. She then looked at Rhianna seriously.  
  
"Yes, those senshi are the two we have yet to locate. And I have a theory on how we may be able to find them."  
  
"You mean," Hotaru said, crossing her arms, "looking for them while we're looking for someone to be a companion to Usagi?"  
  
"Well, yes- but more specifically, who will be looking for them. While you look for someone that's fit for the Queen, these two can try and find their fellow senshi."  
  
"These two?" Setsuna asked, then smiled. "Ah, so Yumi would be going along." She then looked seriously at the two adoptive parents. "But are you sure you want her to go along? She hasn't activated her senshi abilities yet, and you both know how dangerous the life of a guardian is-"  
  
Hakura's expression became serious. "It's not as if we can do anything about it. Hotaru there was all but her age whenever she became a senshi. Same with the Queen. If she wasn't a senshi, we'd be overjoyed because we could be sure that she'd never see the action that we do. but there's nothing we can do about that except make the best of it."  
  
"I see," Hotaru smiled, shaking her head. She then appeared thoughtful. "But why bring both of them along? I still don't see why- Rhianna and I should be able to locate any new senshi together-"  
  
"We talked with the Queen. She believes the presence of Rhia helped activate Jupiter. Although we still have to have the Queen see Yumi before she leaves with you- so we'd better step on it."  
  
Hotaru raised an eyebrow towards Hakura, then Michiru. "Step on it?"  
  
"Well, there are over ten thousand males in this city alone, Hotaru, and you're looking for one. I'd say the sooner you get started, the better." The aqua-haired woman slightly giggled.  
  
With that, Hotaru rolled her eyes and motioned for Yumi and Rhianna to follow her. Damn lovebirds and their damn intelligent suggestions. She looked over her shoulder to see a smiling Rhianna accompanied by a skipping Yumi. Shaking her head, she continued towards the innards of the palace, smiling.  
  
Those two.  
  
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"Mokono Yumi. Welcome," Star Neo Queen Serenity smiled towards the small redhead, then nodded towards Rhianna. "And Mizunan Rhianna. Welcome to you as well. I know I haven't been formally introduced yet, but I am the ruler of our beautiful kingdom of Earth, guarded by the guardians of the planets, the senshi. You are both the reborn senshi of the planets Mercury and Jupiter."  
  
Yumi raised her hand. "But- I don't feel anything like that."  
  
The Queen looked at Rhianna. "Have you anything to say about this?"  
  
Rhianna looked down, then faced the Queen eye to eye. "I have no doubts as to my being the reborn Sailor Mercury, if that's what you're asking."  
  
Serenity looked at Hotaru, who merely nodded.  
  
"Then am I to assume that you have reawakened your former life's memories?"  
  
Rhianna nodded, then looked at Hotaru, and finally Yumi. She bit her lip, then looked at the Queen. "I've also- already transformed. That could have something to do with the memories resurfacing. We just found little Yumi here-"  
  
"I'm not that little," the redhead reminded them all.  
  
"That you're not," Usagi grinned. She held out her two hands, in which a beam of pink light appeared, and she nodded towards the girl. Yumi stepped forward, her hand outstretched, not really understanding.  
  
The light flew from the Neo Queen's hands into Yumi's small one, its light becoming solid in nature. The girl shut her hand, trying to protect herself from the blinding pink light that was emanating from her hand. When she opened her eyes, a scepter laid in her hand, with a large dark green orb with the symbol of Jupiter within it. Two white wings raised themselves from either end of the orb. Yumi blinked.  
  
"What's this for?"  
  
"For when you transform. Why don't you do that now?"  
  
"Transform?"  
  
"Into the new hope of the planet Jupiter, Neo Sailor Jupiter," Hotaru said, a trifle impatiently. Serenity giggled behind a gloved hand. The senshi of silence had no tolerance for children. Yumi looked at the wand, then back towards Rhianna, who gave her an encouraging smile.  
  
"It's all right. It doesn't hurt or anything."  
  
"Okay," Yumi said, holding out the henshin stick in front of her. She closed her eyes, then allowed the henshin's energy to flow around her. She suddenly held the stick up towards the sky, and yelled, "NEO JUPITER STAR POWER!"  
  
Suddenly a warm green light surrounded the girl, and Hotaru blinked, in awe. The melody of Jupiter played itself within the air as Yumi was transformed from her youthful self into something much greater. The light suddenly collapsed, revealing the new hope of the planet Jupiter.  
  
Yumi's child-like innocence seemed to have disappeared with the re- emergence of the senshi. Her hands were encased in silver gloves with dark green trim, the trim also being the primary color of her top and skirt. Her choker shone with a silver light, revealing a star that was mirrored in the middle of her primary bow. Dark pink ribbons waved from her bosom and the back of her fuku. Dark green boots encased her feet, loose about her ankles, where their warm emerald color ended, trim of silver taking over for a centimeter or so.  
  
The Queen smiled, tears in her eyes. She smiled, then looked at the Neo Senshi. "What is your name, child?"  
  
The redhead grinned, and made a victory sign. "When others offend the electric power of life, I am there to treasure and protect it! I am the new hope of the planet Jupiter, Neo Sailor Jupiter!" She ended her introduction with a fist resting on her hip, a familiar stance that made Hotaru's eyes nearly pop out of her head.  
  
"Mokoto."  
  
Usagi, however, kept her feelings in check. "Thank you, Neo Jupiter, for transforming for me. I assume you know your duty?"  
  
"To save lives and protect my Queen?" The young teen grinned. "Sure! Not a problem for me, Neo Jupiter! Just show me where the bad ones are at, and I'll be on it!"  
  
The Neo Queen smiled, nodding towards the emerald and pink-clad senshi, then spoke. "Now that you have been properly awakened, you don't have to be afraid of your transformation. Please de-transform then."  
  
"Sure!" The girl winked and closed her eyes. Seconds later, the fuku she'd been wearing seemed to evaporate, leaving Yumi behind in its wake. She blinked, then smiled. "Well, that was fun! Now what are we going to do?"  
  
Usagi shook her head slightly as she tried to hold back a giggle. Mirth won, however, and the pink-haired queen broke out into peals of laughter. Hotaru stared, watching as her Queen laughed for the first time in more than a millennium. She smiled, then bowed her head in thankfulness.  
  
"I-I'm sorry, it's just that-" Usagi wiped away tears of happiness. "I haven't seen anything that funny in a while. No insult meant to you, Yumi," she added, grinning. The redhead looked puzzled, then shugged. "Anyways, I mean for you to go find the other three senshi and. the reborn Tuxedo Mask. Hotaru?"  
  
"Yes, my Queen?"  
  
"Come here, please."  
  
The woman strode forward. Usagi motioned for the senshi to hold out her hands, and when she did, she passed a large pink light into her waiting palms. Seconds later, the light dissipated.  
  
"Please give these to the appropriate people." Hotaru nodded, understanding. She then turned on her heel, pulling Yumi along with her, Rhianna following. The purple-haired senshi suddenly turned, and looked at her Queen.  
  
"Yes, Rhianna?" Usagi asked.  
  
"I just- she wants me to tell you not to worry, that we'll all be back together again soon." Rhianna looked slightly introspective for a minute, then ran off to join Hotaru and the others.  
  
Usagi was left, with wide eyes. "She wanted me to tell you. does that mean that. Ami's inside of Rhianna? That they have their predecessor's memories?" Usagi placed a hand to the side of her face. "Then that means that. mother. I could still speak to her?"  
  
The Queen was left sitting alone on her throne, tears slowly coming down her cheeks as she thought about what this could mean. "Mother."  
  
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Hotaru was rather silent as the three of them entered the transport pod. She gave Rhianna a slight smile, relieving the girl. Hotaru's rather stone-hard gaze returned whenever she looked at Yumi. The senshi of Neo Mercury had to stifle a smile behind her hand. Hotaru really didn't like kids.  
  
"Where are we going?" The redhead asked.  
  
"To find the rest of the Queen's court," Hotaru answered, typing in coordinates. Rhianna grinned.  
  
"And to find the Queen a companion."  
  
Hotaru snorted. "I really, really don't want to do this. Heaven knows that the counselors Luna and Artemis would be much better suited for finding the rest of the senshi, and I really don't want to play matchmaker."  
  
"You've been alone, haven't you?" Rhianna asked, with an uncalculated amount of wisdom behind her words.  
  
"What- I-"  
  
"You have," The violet-haired girl nodded, confirming. She then smiled at Hotaru. " wouldn't be ashamed of it, you know. You've been busy keeping the Queen safe, and that's an important job. But- haven't you ever felt alone? Come to think of it. hasn't Setsuna ever felt alone, either?"  
  
Hotaru sighed. "Setsuna. is the senshi of time. She was born to be alone, and doesn't have a problem with it. It's just the way she is. She may be human, yes, but she's never had any urges at all to find a companion. That's a side effect of being the senshi of time- you literally have no time for love. So she's built for it. As for me." Hotaru paused. "I've had no time for romance. My duty to the Queen is my first priority, and I've been the only one that kept her from doing an unfortunate deed many, many times. I'm the only lifeline she has."  
  
"Lifeline? You mean like a livesaver?" Yumi queried as the transport began to move. Rhianna grinned.  
  
"Something like that. For me, I'd compare it to a stabilizer program- it keeps you focused and grounded in whatever you're doing."  
  
"Oh," the girl answered. Suddenly, a light seemed to surround the redhead, emerald in color. Yumi's line of sight suddenly was blinded by the light, and she held up a hand against the light, surprised that neither Hotaru or Rhianna noticed the disturbance in the back of the transport. She closed her eyes to protect herself, then opened them, the room around her glowing green for some reason.  
  
The young teenager looked up, only to see a girl with brown, updone hair standing in front of her, her hand outstretched towards Yumi. The girl was smiling at Yumi, her eyes warm with friendliness.  
  
"Who. who are you?"  
  
"My name is Mokoto. I was you in your last life."  
  
The redhaired young teen looked up at the the girl with wide eyes. "I was. you? But I don't understand- I'm the Neo Sailor Jupiter as well as Mokono Yumi, but- how can I be you? I mean-"  
  
"Listen," The young woman says, smiling. "Take my hand."  
  
"I-all right," Yumi finally said, reaching out and grasping the former senshi of Jupiter's hand. Suddenly memories began to flood through the young girl's head; images of places, people, things. Ami, Usagi, Minako, Rei- how they'd been the best of friends, how she'd been there for them in the toughest times. how they hadn't been afraid of her, even though she was considered the toughest girl around. So many happy days together.  
  
Suddenly waves of terror and fear were drummed into little Yumi as the young girl remembered the day in which Usagi and the others had fallen- how she'd failed them in their hour of need. Yumi began to shake in fear, tears streaming down her face.  
  
"I- I'm not that strong- I'm not you- I never was you- I can't do that-" the girl starts to cry, and Mokoto embraces the young teen, tears streaming down her own face. The two stand silently, tears falling down around the two senshi of Jupiter, past and future. Finally, the tears can no longer come forth, and Yumi looked up at Mokoto.  
  
"Are- are you really my past self? What. what does that mean?"  
  
"It means," Mokoto said to the girl, kneeling in front of her, "that in a sense, I will be your guardian angel until you can fly with your own wings." She kissed the girl gently on the forehead, releasing a dark emerald light that encompassed Yumi. The girl closed her eyes, the warmth of Mokoto's gentle love filling her heart with peace.  
  
When she opened her eyes, she heard the brown-haired girl's voice call gently into her mind, "Be aware for the sister Venus is in trouble, Yumi-chan. Only you will be able to call her from the darkness."  
  
Yumi shook her head, looking around the transport. Seated ahead of her, Hotaru and Rhianna were talking, oblivious, it seemed, to the events that had transpired the last few minutes. The little redhead held out an arm towards them, trying to get their attention, when suddenly a wave came over her. Rhianna also bowed her head in the front, and Hotaru's eyes grew wide. Suddenly a beeping came from the front of the transport, the communicator blinking in sign that someone was trying to get ahold of them.  
  
Hotaru pulled the transport to the side of the road and pressed the 'accept' button on the communicator. Luna's face appeared on the screen.  
  
"Hotaru? Is that you?"  
  
"Yeah- I've got Rhianna and Yumi here with me, too. What is it, Luna?"  
  
"Artemis- Hotaru, I don't know what to do- he's run off- a few moments ago he told me that he couldn't fail her this time, and he just-" Luna stopped, overcome. Tears appeared to come to her eyes. "I think that Venus is in trouble, Hotaru."  
  
Hotaru looked behind her towards Yumi, who nodded. Glancing over at Rhianna, she received the same determined glance. "Okay. Rhianna and Yumi have confirmed it on this end, too. Do you have any idea in which direction he went, Luna?"  
  
The black-haired cat shook her head. "I- I don't know. He just ran off so fast, I wasn't able to-"  
  
"Luna, listen- go to Usagi and tell her all this. Rhianna, Yumi, and I are going to get out of this transport and locate Venus on foot. Tell the others, too, just in case we need some backup."  
  
"Hotaru- what about-" Luna looked past the violet-eyed woman towards the back, where Yumi sat. Hotaru shook her head.  
  
"She has to fight sometime, Luna. And she's older than I was when I was first awakened. Besides. she's the senshi of Jupiter. She's tough, remember?" The senshi of silence grinned, then became serious. "Tell the others. We're on our way."  
  
"Understood." The communicator winked out of existence, leaving a black screen behind in its wake. Hotaru looked at Rhianna and Yumi. "You heard the woman. Artemis has run off to find Venus, which I can only assume is in trouble, considering both you and Rhianna felt it as well." The woman nodded. "Let's go."  
  
The three women stepped out of the transport, their expressions full of determination. Young Yumi's eyes were wide at first, then turned to slits.  
  
They had to find her before the enemy did.  
  
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Artemis ran at a break-neck pace down the streets of Crystal Tokyo. He could feel Venus's energy patterns swarming throughout his entire being.  
  
Minako. if only he'd been there during the battle one thousand years ago. He could have helped her, defended her from the reborn Beryl. He was supposed to be her confidant, her backup, her. partner. And he'd let her down.  
  
Well, not again. He ran faster, his paws carrying him as fast as they could. The light of Venus was dimming, and he could not let it get any weaker.  
  
"Minako." he whispered as he quickened his pace even more. He was not going to let her down this time. Even if it required his own life.  
  
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Well? What'd ya think? :D Please R&R!! *^_^* 


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